Today, on the Sunday after the Feast of the Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross, the Church continues to focus our attention on the Cross of Christ. In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus Christ’s challenging words calling us to renounce ourselves, take up our own cross and follow Him.
In the Cross of Christ we see the extent to which God’s love is poured out for us, as Jesus Christ enters into the very depths of our human need. We cannot adequately explain the Mystery of the Cross and it presents us with a paradox, for, as Saint Paul tells us, God’s power is shown forth in weakness. The Cross of Christ shows us the power of suffering love, and proclaims that it is this love that ultimately conquers sin and death.
In some ways, our life as Christians is also based on a paradox. Jesus’ call to us to renounce ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him, may seem like a crazy and even irresponsible thing to do. Yet He tells us that it is only by doing this that we will be able to have true life.
Christ is not calling us to be killjoys who are unable to enjoy the good things in life. But He is challenging us to evaluate what it is that we really live for. Anything that is really worthwhile will inevitably involve suffering in one way, and as we choose to follow Christ we also need to be prepared to share in the Mystery of His Cross, for it is only through the Cross that we can find true life.