Have you Hugged your Cross Today?

Peter has just proclaimed Jesus the 'Christ,' the Son of the Living God. Jesus refers to Peter as a rock since he has begun to have a deep understanding into the mysteries of God. And yet in a few verses that same 'Rock' falls flat on his face. The Cross causes Peter, as it does all of us, to stumble and even want to run away.

We talk about people being our cross to bear, or an inconvenience being a cross we have to put up with. But the ideal of bearing our cross goes much deeper for the true disciple of Jesus. In the Incarnation Jesus becomes part of our lives. He shares all things with us, excluding Sin, so that by his suffering, death, and resurrection, we might experience new life. As Jesus is transformed as one like us, when we share in his dying and rising we become transformed to be more like him. That is our participation in the Paschal Mystery.

The late Father Henri Nouwen speaks of our bearing the cross in the world today, in that when we realize the hurt and brokenness of others, responding to their hurt and pain, and bringing them to prayer before the Father, we share in their life. More so, Nouwen would suggest, our understanding and compassion is increased the more we can empathize with others. Those around us really do become our brothers and sisters.

Cross bearers readily live a life that is counter-cultural. Our lives are based on understanding, compassion, mercy, honesty, and forgiveness. Jeremiah is distraught today in that his proclamations of truth and challenge of the covenant have led to him being hunted down. Folks are trying to do injury to him. And yet that is so much what the cross is about. Doing that which is right or good is not always easy, and most of the time very difficult. But the challenge is that we are transformed into an image of holiness and light.

The mission and ministry of Jesus shows us that God does not desire suffering, but rather salvation and peace. Jesus bring healing and wholeness into the lives of the people he encounters. Taking up a cross expands our world-view, and thrusts us into a lifestyle of doing what is right. We are to lift the cross of Christ high, because he is the source of our salvation.