In the Cross is Salvation

Last week we were left with the challenge to imitate Jesus. So what does that mean? In His own words Jesus tells us: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (see Luke 9:23). Look around you! Suffering is everywhere and it will happen to you. No one can avoid the Cross. It can either be a burden or a blessing.

You can either act like the "bad thief" or the "good thief" because there is no other choice. The bad thief who died on the cross represents all the people who see the cross as a burden and a punishment for the sins that they have committed. They do not draw any profit from it. Conversely, the good thief represents all the people who have merited their cross, but have embraced it as a loving companion. They share in Jesus’ sacrifice and draw many graces from it. They can say with St. Paul in Colossians that they rejoice in their sufferings because they are building up the Church. We are all one family. We are the Body of Christ, and because of this we can help build each other up in the love of the Lord. If the Cross is going to be upon us, we should embrace it instead of running away from it. So let us turn that frown upside down and embrace the challenges that come our way.

Here I leave you with a nice meditation from The Imitation of Christ on the importance of the Cross: “In the cross is salvation, in the cross is life, in the cross is protection from enemies, in the cross is strength of mind, in the cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the cross is joy of spirit, in the cross is highest virtue, in the cross is perfect holiness. There is no salvation of souls or hope of everlasting life but in the cross.”