The Gospel for today has Jesus clearly telling us he must carry his cross and we must carry ours. Generally we flee the cross. But somewhere deep inside we know the need for the cross. Where would you be today without the crosses you learned to carry. The cross is more than suffering, it is self discipline, it is generosity, it is obedience, it is doing what is right even without immediate reward, it is working hard when we’d rather sleep. Where would you and I be had we not learned to accept corsses like these. Most of our progress comes at the cost of sacrifice, ours and others for us. We know, deep inside, that the corss is necessary.
The following video is a little silly but it makes a good point, so learn while you laugh at a corny but clever video:
Here’s another rather clever but corny video which I’ve posted before. In it a pastor and his cat try to explain suffering.
Some were burned alive, others thrown to wild beasts. Some had their skin flayed off. One had her breasts cut off, another, her eyes gouged out. Some were beheaded, others thrust through with swords. These are the Martyrs and great heroes of the early Church. They suffered much and gained everything. Their death was like seed that caused the Church to grow by God’s grace. New life comes from the Cross. Jesus proved it and the martyrs demonstrate it. The more the world hates and kills us the stronger we become. After almost every widespread persecution the Church grows more numerous and more intense. It is the words of Jesus Christ that foretold this: “And I, when I be lifted up from the earth (i..e on the Cross) will draw all people unto me.” (Jn 12:32). Where ever the Church is persecuted, Christ is still lifted up on the Cross in his mystical Body. Sure enough, in this way he draws even more unto him.
So many of us have it easy compared to the martyrs. They were willing to suffer death for the faith, many of us cannot even bear to be unpopular for it. Pray for courage from the intercession of the martyrs. It seems it will become increasingly necessary in the years ahead.
I put this video together to commemorate the Early Martyrs, especially those listed in the Roman Canon. Along with the pictures is a hymn to the Martyrs, Monteverdi’s setting of Deus Tuorum Militum. Here is the translation:
Deus tuorum militumO God, thou who art the portion
Sors et corona, praemiumthe crown and the reward of thy soldiers,
Laudes canentes Martyrisabsolve from the chains of sin, those
Absolve nexu criminissinging the praises of thy martyr.
Poenas cucurrit fortiter Bravely he/she ran the way of torture,
Et sustulit viriliter and suffered courageously,
Fundensque pro te sanguinemand shedding his/her blood for thee,
Aeterna dona possidet.(now) possesses eternal gifts.
Laus et perennis gloriaPraise and continual glorybe
Deo Patri et Filio to God the Father and Son,
Sancto simul Paraclito likewise the Holy Spirit
In sempiterna saecula. Amen unto eternal ages. Amen
It is Holy Week and we ponder the many gifts we have received from the Cross that Christ carried for us. The Cross was terrible and difficult but the gain was enormous. So too for the crosses we carry. Think of one thing in your life that you truly value and ponder the sacrifices that were neecessary so that you could enjoy it. Maybe it is your children; think of all the scarifices you made so that they could come to where they are today. Maybe it is your career, think of all the years of college and training that went into this blessing. Whatever it is, nothing of value comes without the cross. Where would you be today without your crosses?
This is the wisdom of the cross. Difficult and painful though it may be it always brings blessings if we carry it with faith. The following video is a little “homespun” but it illustrates well the wisdom of the cross.
