CROSS-ROADS

“The Son of Man…must first endure many sufferings, be rejected by the elders, the high priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and then be raised up on the third day.” –Luke 9:22

Jesus describes a journey through the swamps of suffering, the cliffs of rejection, the valley of death, to the tomb of Resurrection. Then He asks who would be willing to follow Him on that journey. Whoever wishes to become His follower “must deny his very self, take up his cross each day,” and follow in Jesus’ steps (Lk 9:23).

Our inner self is repelled by suffering, rejection, and death. We must deny that self to go on that challenging trip with Jesus (Lk 9:23). In fact, Jesus gives us the liberty to turn back at any time. Therefore, we must choose each day to make the trip and take up the cross. Paradoxically, if we go on this journey which includes death, we live forever, for death is not the final stop. If we try to save our lives by refusing to go, we die anyway. Then death, even damnation, is the final stop. So we lose our lives by trying to save them (Lk 9:24). Even if we gain the whole world instead of following Jesus on His trip, our lives are wasted and self-destructive (Lk 9:25). To go on Jesus’ journey, the way of the cross, is all that matters.

PRAYER: Jesus, may I want to travel with You more than I want to feel good.
PROMISE: “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding His voice, and holding fast to Him.” –Dt 30:19-20
PRAISE: St. Katharine was heiress to her father’s significant estate. She preferred to give herself and her inheritance to God through service to both Native Americans and African Americans.