Thoughts for the Day

Now large crowds were travelling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Some of Jesus' instructions to his disciples and to us, are almost impossible to contemplate. For Roman and Jewish people in the time of Jesus to speak of 'carrying a cross' was something they saw all too often. They knew that the condemned person would carry their cross to their place of execution. The actions the Roman general Varus took would also still have been with them. After defeating rebels in Galilee in 4BCE, (who supported Judas Maccabeus), he crucified two thousand people, placing their crosses on roads between Galilee and Jerusalem.

Jesus asks us if we are willing to pick up our cross, whatever it may be, in the present or in the future. Each of us will at some time or other discover what that cross is - it might be pain, grief, disappointment, loneliness, and any manner of things. But if we are to follow our Lord as real disciples rather than occasional followers, we will pick up that cross and persevere in life. Just as a cross led to death, so picking up our cross means it leads to death - of self. We put our selfish desires to one side, effectively killing them off, and accept God's plans for our future. And yes, we should still love our family. Jesus gives us tough love here to make us realise how much we must love Him if we are to be His disciples.

Lord Jesus Christ,
help us to reject self
and to take up the cross
that is given to us,
accepting the path before us
and moving forward in faith.
Amen.