Friday of the Sixth
Week in Ordinary Time
(James 2:14-24.26; Mark 8:34-9:1)
There is a story about the person who considered his
cross too heavy to bear. He complained
to the Lord, and the Lord showed him an array of crosses. The Lord said that the man could take up any
cross he wished. However, he had to
carry a cross if he was to follow him to eternal life. The man chose one of the crosses that looked
like a good fit. Shortly afterwards, the
man came back to the Lord saying that he preferred his original cross. The cross that he thought was lighter turned
out more troublesome than anticipated!
In today’s gospel Peter has just proclaimed Jesus Messiah
or savior of the people. Jesus in turn declared
that his Messiah-ship will be manifested by his death on the cross and
resurrection. Now he is saying that to
be his disciple one has to carry his or her personal cross after him.
One’s cross is the dimensions of our life that we find
difficult to bear. It may be an illness
or a particularly annoying relative. Carrying
the cross after Jesus is not just living with the personal difficulty but
allowing it to transform our life. It becomes
the source and object of both prayer and effort. Dealing with our cross in this way in time we
will come to see God as our savior.
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