Take Up Your Cross

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Matthew 16:21-28

We want it easy and want to be recognized for what we do. I think being a mother, more than anything, taught me what denying myself truly meant. For the love of one of my children, I would give up anything I needed, completely without thinking. Love freed me to be selfless. When the world looks at heroes, it never looks for moms and dads just doing their everyday work. But truly,  the love for my children has taught me much about the love of God. In my very imperfect way, I learned a small understanding of God's love for us. Taking up my cross is a daily decision, and yet I do it freely and now instinctively thanks to my children, for love's sake.

Peter has just recently declared that Jesus was the Messiah. Within a very short time he rebukes Jesus and forgets the divine love that propels all of Christ's work. Because of love, he freely goes to the cross for each of us. Yet, we humans, would rather control the outcome, make things easy and comfortable, or avoid them all together. Yet love, real love, makes us face the hardest places, encourages carrying our crosses, despite how much we want to run and hide. Love helps us to stay by the dying's bedside, walk with the poor and homeless, pray with the weary and afraid. Divine love helps us to make room despite our fears, make welcome despite our discomfort, give ourselves despite our desire to preserve our lives. God, the author of all love, invites us today to take us the cross of discomfort, fear, and self-preservation and to enter this needy world for love's sake alone.

Today, I ask God to help me lift these crosses of mine again, following the One who embodied perfect love. May we all move, despite all our fears and anxieties, so that love can be born again into this needy and aching world.

The Collect

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.