We began our liturgy singing a rather upbeat song that celebrates the joy of Easter. Even if you didn’t actually sing along with the rest of us, I hope these words spoke well for you too. “I will give thanks to you, my Lord. You have answered my plea. You have saved my soul from death. You are my strength and my song.”
Then moments ago, we heard a rather somber message. “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” Is there a link between these two messages?
Jesus had just predicted his passion for the first time much to the dismay of the apostles who anticipated that as Israel’s long awaited Messiah, he would liberate their land from the Romans. Anyone mindful of what Jesus later endured might then wonder if he is wishing the same fate for them when he told the apostles to take up his cross and follow him.
It doesn’t sound appealing. We tend to think of crosses as burdens, things and people, that and who demand so much energy and time from us. We see our sufferings and our brokenness as crosses that condemn us to unfulfilled lives and unrealized dreams. Most days we would like to lay these crosses aside and never pick them up again. But those are not necessarily the crosses that Jesus is speaking of here.
Notice that Jesus also said, “daily and follow me.” Clearly he is inviting us as his disciples to do this each day, but do what? Think again of the passion. Do you recall a man named Simon? He was ordered to help Jesus carry the cross. In other words, Jesus is calling on his disciples to be willing to help others when the need arises. Three scenarios come to mind that many of you could well relate to.
The clock on the nightstand reads 4 AM but he is wide-awake and has been for most of the night. His presentation is playing over and over in his mind as he lies there. By 4:15, he’s at the small table in his hotel room with his lap top, going over the power point presentation one more time. He tweaks the wording here and there, and double checks the data. He is ready. His presentation may result in landing a big contract for his company. He has an ability to connect with people, to present ideas clearly, to enable people with different priorities and goals to find a common ground. And he does it with humor, wisdom and empathy. It means a lot of time away from home and sleepless nights like this but that’s his cross. It makes a lot of difference to many people.
Another late day at school. She takes off her coat, kisses her daughter and takes the casserole out of the fridge, all in a single motion. Classes have been over for more than three hours but students at her school find her approachable and her classroom a safe haven to talk. So, more afternoons than not, long after she has taught her last class for the day, she’s still at school listening, counseling, supporting, and laughing. That’s her cross. And it’s exhausting, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
For a retiree, he’s pretty sharp with things mechanical and electrical. He’s laid his fair share of flooring and replaced countless windowpanes. So now he happily shuttles among his children’s homes, repairing this and installing that, researching solutions to bigger household issues, offering his wisdom of experience on major purchases. His children appreciate their dad and know they are lucky to have him. He’s happy to be of help to those he loves most. That’s his cross and he feels blest to carry it.
The crosses God places on our shoulders and Christ bears with us are sources of hope, of joy, of discovery, of life, of resurrection for both others and ourselves. Being a disciple of Christ means to take up whatever crosses are laid upon our shoulders, knowing that with the love of God within us, we can transform every Good Friday into Easter joy.
Those who are not willing to take up their crosses are not willing to give themselves completely to God. They are more concerned about saving their lives instead. Our willingness to take up the cross really depends on our personal answer to the question Jesus asked of his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Our reply is reflected by our lives.
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul brings to mind another cross that every disciple should carry, namely respect for the dignity of every person, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, or gender for we are all children of God. Paul asserts, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” We cannot honestly say that we identify ourselves with Christ if we tolerate bigotry and prejudice since these attitudes hinder us from loving and respecting others, which if you recall, is the second greatest commandment that Jesus gave us. Instead of fostering civility, bigotry and prejudice destroy any society that tolerates them. It is never too late to give up your prejudices.
A Lutheran minister, imprisoned by the Nazis for 7 years, wrote this timely reflection: First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me. Dare we speak up before its too late?