May I Carry My Cross With You?

                “My God, my crucified yet resurrected Lord, I bow my head in tears envisioning Your holy Passion. I see You off in the distance amidst a huge crowd. I can only see the tip of Your head bowed down, adorned not with befitting jewels, but instead with a ring of thorns. I mostly see the heavy cross You carry among the sea of enraged people. I can’t hear anything distinct, just a loud universal angry cry of people who know not what they do. You slowly make Your way through the people – the same people You previously blessed and professed Your great love through Your gentle instruction of how to live an earthly life in preparation for an eternal heavenly life with You. Now they reject You, they hurt You, they mock You, they celebrate killing You. Though You could end all this in a blast of glory, You continue, still with great love in Your heart. You continue a path no man would welcome, with the purpose of fulfilling Your Father’s will to provide a way for all these same people to be united as one with You forever.

                “Oh Lord, as You carry this heavy cross, I feel the weight of my own cross and it suddenly doesn’t feel as heavy. It is not easy to carry, but it is just a piece of Yours. Together, as we carry these crosses, I pray that I can make Yours lighter and I thank You as You have made mine lighter. I turn to my side and I see my dear friends, my brothers and sisters carrying their crosses also with You and I pray that all together, the burden on You will be lighter as well as the burden on them. As I look to my right and to my left, I am comforted that I am not the only one suffering with You. I look up to Calvary and see the two thieves crucified with You. One mocks You, yet the other loves You and asks for mercy. I look to my right and to my left and I hear the same; several mock me for carrying my cross and several smile and say they love me and that we can make it together. We walk together, earnestly searching for a glimpse of You in the crowd, in the world, in the chaos, in the hate, in the indignation and in the indifference, both then and now.

“Oh dear Lord, may the people open their eyes and see You clearly. May their hearts be filled with compassion for You and for Your suffering people. May they willingly ask You for crosses. May their hearts be filled with the desire to carry whatever cross You send, no matter how heavy or light, for as long as You ask, all the way to Calvary with You, our burdens joined with You, our crosses all splinters of Yours. May we lay these crosses down at the foot of Yours and will You lead us all to the gates of heaven? Oh Lord, may I carry my cross with love as You carried Yours.”