Embracing the Cross
Why do you embrace your cross, fool?
Holy Week is my favorite week of the year. I love entering into the depths of the passion and resurrection of our Lord. There are a few key moments that I really love to ponder. The last supper, the agony in the garden, and Jesus carrying His cross are some of my favorite mysteries of the rosary. Every year, I try and enter into these mysteries through the traditions of the Church, as well as through some personal traditions. One tradition that I’ve begun to find especially powerful is watching the movie the Passion of the Christ on Good Friday.
The movie is always equal parts painful and rewarding. Each time I see it, something new stands out to me and moves me to change the way I am living my life. This year it came from one quick moment, and one line, from one of the thieves. As Jesus is about to begin His walk toward Calvary, His cross is brought out before Him. He embraces the cross with love and affection as one would embrace a loved one they hadn’t seen in years. The thief yells out to Him, “Why do you embrace your cross, fool?” as he is forcibly tied to the beam of his cross he must also carry to his place of death.
The thief, blinded by hate, fear, and ignorance, stood in stark contrast to Jesus. Jesus allowed His executioners to seize, scourge, and humiliate Him before He was brought to the cross. He, then, lovingly embraced His cross.
When Jesus embraced His cross, He embraced my sin and death, so that I could one day choose Him and choose to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
When Jesus embraced His cross, He showed us what it means to love, to fully give of one’s self. He was the perfect example of complete sacrifice. He reached the pinnacle of His purpose on earth in that moment. He showed us what it literally looks like to pick up a cross out of love for God and for one another.
I believe that Jesus carrying His cross is meant to move us toward three truths:
The first is His incredible mercy. God wants us to know that He is willing to go all the way when it comes to forgiving us. He doesn’t just play a passive role in our redemption, patiently waiting for us to come pleading for mercy. No, instead He comes to us, enduring unimaginable suffering as to show us His desire for reconciliation.
The second is His infinite love. He wants to show His willingness to pour His love into our hearts and how much He cares for us. When you imagine that Jesus was willing to carry and ultimately die on His cross for us to provide for us eternal life, how can we doubt that He will provide for us in our everyday lives?
The third truth the embrace of the cross should move us toward is our call to action. Jesus gives us an example of what He actually calls us all to do. We are called to pick up our cross each day and follow Him. Imagine, having already heard Jesus say that as an original disciple, watching Jesus carry His cross. After being so convicted by the truth of who He was and what wondrous glory awaits us in Heaven, it would be unthinkably frightening to know that this was the way of the cross Jesus spoke of for you as well. Luckily though, the story doesn’t end there. The resurrection takes place and along with the body of Christ, your hope and joy are also brought back to life. Still, the apostles knew that most of them would die for the cause, and yet they went forth and preached the Gospel anyway.
Do you embrace your cross as Jesus did His?
We all have our cross to bear, but it is impossible to do so if we don’t first embrace and live in God’s mercy and love. I want to encourage you today to fight to make it to confession or be reconciled in some way through God’s mercy. Next, spend some serious time today reflecting on God’s love for you and asking Him to give you the grace to remain in His love through following His commandments. Lastly, ask God for the strength to carry your cross with great love, joy, and peace.
This reflection is a part of Seeking Excellence's EXODUS 90 series, which took place in the months leading up to Easter.