To carry your cross comes with a promise. You will experience a joy that only Jesus can offer, true life itself. Yet, many find it difficult, if not impossible to carry their cross. Further, many others misunderstand what it means to carry their cross altogether and they experience needless suffering as a result. Yes, when you carry your cross you will experience struggle in your life and the journey will at times be challenging. However, when you carry your cross in a manner that resembles Jesus you are promised entry into some of the most beautiful places Jesus has for you – places where life abounds.
I have written about the power of carrying your cross in my book, Understanding the Jesus Code. (available as a pre-order on Amazon). So please allow me to share with you an excerpt from my book in today’s reflection. However, before I do this I need to share with you a foundational piece as it relates to carrying your cross – The Seven Stages of Healing.
Through The Seven Stages of Healing you are offered a roadmap of sorts to carry your cross and ascend into greater union with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I have written about these stages before in a previous reflection and I also went into great detail in my book. I invite you to visit this page now before reading further. All Consuming Love.
Excerpt from Chapter Six in Understanding the Jesus Code:
“Carrying Your Cross
You know that Jesus carried the cross and endured its pain as atonement for mankind’s sins. The purpose for such atonement is our reunion the Father. You also know that Jesus did not carry the cross in vain – his pain had a purpose. You also know that you are called to carry your cross and follow Jesus on the road to eternal happiness. And yes, your cross is a vehicle back to God.
“…looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2-3
Given this, your pain, your trials and your challenging life experiences all present unique opportunities to move back to God. However, you must take the steps necessary so that your heart grows in love, forgiveness, and acceptance as a result of the trials. There is a saying that comes to mind here – “Become better, not bitter”. These life experiences become the total sum of your cross only when you use them for their proper purpose – reunion with God. If they serve any other role in your life you have missed a golden opportunity for happiness and peace. However, remember, due to your fallen nature you will fall short of perfection (unless you become a saint – a worthy endeavor!) and, given this, there will always be work to do my friends.
We know that those who believe in Jesus share in his glory for the sole intention of unity as God desires. In light of this what does it mean to share in Jesus’ glory? This question begets another question, namely, what is Jesus’ greatest glory? Triumph over sin and the salvation of the world – salvation for you and I! And how did his glory come to be? He achieved victory over sin and death. How did he gain victory over sin and death? This is the story of the cross and all that comes with it my friends – the painful and the joyful.
“The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” – John 17:22-23
Love Consuming – Stage Seven
Now enter those individuals who have experienced Love Consuming, individuals like our great saints. The closest I can come to understanding this stage is by reflecting on the love I have for my children. Like most mothers I would willingly sacrifice myself for them if I believed my sacrifice would take away their pain. Heck, I even sacrifice when it doesn’t take away their pain! Yet my willingness to such sacrifice is conditional isn’t it – I could only give such sacrifice to my children, the ones who I carried within my body for 9 months. Our saints sacrifice freely for others as God calls them.
Individuals who experience Love Consuming experience a Christ like love for mankind that eludes most of us. Such love compels them to sacrifice freely for the sake of Jesus. This love calls them to carry the weight of humanity in a very unique way – in a way that helps others carry what they cannot carry. They become so consumed with God’s love that they can withstand any trial – even the trials of others.
Such individuals can be the “victim soul” for others. They can be the martyr revealing a joyful countenance at the point of death, and they live as a great saint. They have gone through the dark night of the soul and experienced the painful separation from God that exists when one does not know him. They become equipped to carry the burden for others through trials. Saint Theresa of Calcutta, Padre Pio, and countless other holy saints have reached Love Consuming. They became so consumed with love for Christ that this love called them to die to themselves so that others can live. They became a perfected portion of Christ’ body. They became a light for the world to see.
“Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.” – Matthew 5:15
Denial, Anger, Bargain, Depression, Acceptance, Love Entering In, and Love Consuming
I invite you to ponder what stage of healing you are in and what stage your loved ones are in. How can you transition from your current stage to another where you are of greater service to the world, to your family, and to yourself. Regarding the different relationships in your life, what stage are you in? Perhaps with your children you are in Acceptance; however, with your spouse perhaps you are in Anger or Bargain? What steps could you take to transform your heart and heal your family? How can you more positively impact the world with this knowledge and facilitate greater healing?”
Be blessed my friends today and every day. Carry your cross and light the world on fire!
Mother Mary – pray for us.
Sacred Heart of Jesus – have mercy on us.
Today’s Readings: Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7; Psalm (Dt 32); Matthew 16:24-28
