“Ohhh,” my teenage son groaned as he clambered like an old man into the car at the end of the school day. “I’m SO tired!”
“Why? What did you do today?” I asked, suddenly recalling that his class had gone to the local food pantry for a tour.
“Remember that big bag of cans you wanted me to bring to the food pantry?” he said. “I carried it the whole way.”
I forgot that they’d had to walk.
Had I remembered that I probably would have lightened the load. But I was pleased he actually carried it all the way there — out of obedience to his mother and for a good cause.
Accepting our crosses
Similarly in life, sometimes we are given loads too heavy to carry, but we know we must carry them anyway — out of obedience to God and in order to get to heaven.
These loads, these crosses, can range from physical to mental to spiritual difficulties. Sometimes these crosses are cast upon us; sometimes we unwittingly bring these crosses upon ourselves.
As we get older and gain more responsibilities, various crosses of all kinds increase in number. They are good reminders that we are not in heaven yet.
No matter how these crosses have come to us, the way we face them is the same: we must embrace them and follow Christ, who has shown us the way to salvation through His own cross and resurrection.
“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:23-24).
Carry crosses for God
When we embrace our crosses and carry them out of love for God, the burden becomes easier. Think of a child bearing the weight of something he carries across the room to show his mother. So must we carry our crosses through our lives to Our Father in heaven?
Jesus says: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11: 28-30).
In My Imitation of Christ, Thomas à Kempis explains that while a man resigns himself to his cross, “all the burden of tribulation is converted into an assured hope of comfort from God. And the more the flesh is brought down by affliction, the more the spirit is strengthened by inward grace” (p. 148).
“The Cross will not crush you; if its weight makes you stagger, its power will also sustain you,” said St. Padre Pio.
“You must accept your cross. If you bear it courageously it will carry you to heaven,” said St. John Vianney.
Our Blessed Mother’s help
But we are not alone in bearing our crosses, in dying to ourselves, and embracing our crosses with the higher goal of reaching heaven in mind.
As a mother, I instinctively want to help my children carry their crosses, lift them up, and lighten their loads for them.
If I, as an earthly mother, have this natural inclination, think of how our Blessed Mother yearns to help us as well, when we ask for her intercession.
All the help we need is in our prayers if we have the gentleness and humility to open our hearts and seek it.
Julianne Nornberg, mother of four children, is a member of St. John the Baptist Parish, Waunakee.