TAKE UP YOUR CROSS

Jesus said,"Take up your cross and follow me." Everybody has a cross to carry. It's how you accept or reject your cross that makes the person you become. Everybody has something in life they don't like but must live with. Whether it be status in life, a job you don't like or find stressful or something more personal such as height, looks or weight. There is always something that will get you down at times.

Somebody might argue if there is a God why do we suffer so much? The answer is simple. Nobody completely knows Gods plan. Even Jesus must take His place behind the Father. And Jesus at times asked questions of His Father. During His agony in the garden when the time He was to be 'handed over into the power of men' was approaching, Jesus said to His Father, "If it be possible, let this cup pass me by." However He then went on to say, "not my will, but thine be done." He accepted His cross. And nobody had a heavier cross to carry than the Son of God. An innocent man to suffer for the sins of others.

To take up your cross and follow Jesus is God's way of living. It could be said 'the way of the cross is the way to God."

Jesus has left His church as a guide as to how we are to follow him. If we did not have the Catholic Church as a guide we would be completely confused as to what lifestyle we should lead. One can justify almost any lifestyle and believe it to be christian if he tries hard enough. The Catholic Church and the way of God cannot be separated. The Catholic Church is guided by the holy spirit and the pope is infallible when he makes a decision regarding faith or morals.

The following is a poem called 'the night before He died.'

THE NIGHT BEFORE HE DIED
by
J. A. Fullerton

I like to think of the night before
Our Blessed Saviour died
And how much agony it must have been
To know He would be crucified
He knew full well of His coming death
And how much He was to suffer
For He was man as well as God you know
And He was heard to utter
Father, if it be possible
Please let this cup pass me by
And if it all be possible
Please don’t let me die.
And He wanted the company of His friends
On the night before He died
But none of them could stay awake
Because they were all too tired.
So He sat alone with His thoughts
While His friends were asleep
For He was the Good Shepherd
And all the rest were His sheep.


‘MY GOD, OH HOW WE LOVE YOU’