TAKING UP THE CROSS

Like the man no longer blind but with only partial vision, Peter and the other disciples still incompletely understood Jesus and his mission. They knew that God had in some way chosen him and gifted him. They had sensed enough about him to leave everything to follow him. They had seen him do what God alone could do. They expected greatness from him. They had seen the miracles. Yet Jesus’ true greatness still eluded them. That greatness would far eclipse his feeding of thousands, his stilling of storms, or even his power over demonic forces. That greatness would be in his death – his sacrifice of himself for the sins of the world. The disciples, however, did not understand when he tried to speak about it. Peter was angry that Jesus should even entertain such thoughts. There were forces in play here that Peter could not imagine when he unwittingly emulated the tempter in the wilderness when he spoke the temptation to avoid the cross.

Jesus’ temptation is ours as well, the temptation to avoid our crosses. Few of us will be called upon to sacrifice our lives for Christ, but all of us are called to take up our smaller crosses. Jesus did not bear his cross for himself and nor do we take up our crosses for ourselves. We must shoulder each day what we must do for the sake of others. For each of us, this burden is different, but it always consists in giving ourselves for others, the crosses of loyalty and forgiveness, patience and self-sacrifice. Hard work alone is not a cross, not if it is for our own gain, our own wealth or status. These are of no ultimate worth if we lose ourselves in achieving them.

We learn to willingly deny ourselves. Once again, we take up our cross, striving to follow the Lord along the road he trod before us. He will lead us home.