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Meditation March 30, 2018
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, LSW
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s, Newport, PA
Lead Me To Calvary, Verse 4
Newport Ministerium Cross Walk
Video: https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.myers.144/videos/10155685310742739/
May I be willing, Lord, to bear
Daily my cross for Thee;
Even Thy cup of grief to share,
Thou hast borne all for me.
Then he said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
Jane Hussey, the writer of the words to this hymn, knew Luke 9:23. Daily we must take up our cross and follow Jesus. Sounds daunting, doesn’t it? I mean we have a smaller cross here, but even it gets heavy after awhile.
How can this daily bearing our cross actually be a joy? What is meant by bearing a cross daily? I believe it means that following after Jesus is not always easy for us to do. I do try to be nice to people and I get busy and rush right past people. I get so focused on my to-do list, I forget to ask people how they are doing. Sometimes I don’t even acknowledge them.
Jesus says we need to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. I must be reminded of this every single day. I must remember this when I get caught up in my own life, and do not think about anyone else. Not all of life or affairs of the world are governed by this commandment to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves.
And we also can remember that even Jesus did not carry his cross alone. Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus carry his cross. We, too, have others who can help us. That’s why our faith communities are so important. There we find strength. We find others who help us grow in our faith. We find others to lean on when carrying our cross seems more than we can bear.
Taking up my cross reminds me how Jesus took up his cross…how Jesus loved us so much, he was willing to give all of himself so that we might truly know abundant and joyful life. Because when we love God and love our neighbor as ourselves, we find abundant and joyful life.
Let us be willing to daily bear our cross….
Amen
