Kempis on: Few Love the Cross of Jesus

 

"Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven."

–St. Rose of Lima

One of the most difficult tasks we, as Catholic Christians, can undertake is picking up the cross of Jesus and carrying it. Consider the utter and excruciating pain Jesus experienced on His way to Calvary. Remember, he had already been ridiculed, mocked, assailed, beaten, whipped and a crown of thorns slammed on to His head. What human could endure that today? Next, he’s tied (not written in scripture bu a custom of the Romans) to the cross and expected to carry it to His place of death. 

In an essay I wrote about Christ’s Passion (not yet published), I imagined His courage in this manner:

The cross is heavy. It digs into His clavicle. Can the pain get any more excruciating? The road is made of stones. With every step, the bottom of the cross will bump, bump, bump. With every single bump the cross will dig deeper into his shoulder. All He asks of us, by carrying our crosses, is to obey God’s commandments and follow His Way. He knows that very few will be able to pick up their crosses and follow in His footsteps, but it has to be this way. He falls three times. Again, He falls because He is probably tied to the cross. If this is the case, He falls face first.

Jesus doesn’t expect us to carry the cross the way He did. What He does expect us to do is pick up His cross (at the very least, metaphorically) and follow in His footsteps. 

Kempis:

JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross.

He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial.

He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting.

Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him.

Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. What power there is in pure love for Jesus--love that is free from all self-interest and self-love! Rarely indeed is a man so spiritual as to strip himself of all things. And who shall find a man so truly poor in spirit as to be free from every creature?

That leaving all, he forsake himself, completely renounce himself, and give up all private affections. When he has done all that he knows ought to be done, let him consider it as nothing.

No one, however, is more wealthy than such a man; no one is more powerful, no one freer than he who knows how to leave all things and think of himself as the least of all. (my emphasis)

In the essay, referenced above, I ask the following two questions:

1. How many times do we fall?

   
   

2. When we fall, do we get back up and thank God for second and third and fourth chances?

In my case, I fall many times. And when I get back up I do thank God for more chances… doing this by going to Confession, repenting my sins and doing penance. 

What inspired this writing is the apostolic visitation by the Vatican to Tyler, Texas Bishop Strickland. What I see is a man, a good Shepard, carrying Jesus’ cross and leading His flock on the narrow path. What I didn’t see, and haven’t yet seen, was support from his peers. Are they the type of men Kempis was thinking about when he wrote “He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial.”? Are they afraid of the trial that Bishop Strickland is being subjected to? St. Ambrose once wrote, “In some causes silence is dangerous.”

A scarier question. If turning away from supporting Bishop Strickland are they turning away from Jesus?

The following quote can be found in my Twitter profile. There are two reasons I placed it there: It is a reminder for me that I will never turn away from God by offending Him and for everyone else to know it’s not personal if I disagree or insult.

"We must not mind insulting men, if by respecting them we offend God." 

Saint John Chrysostom

I can’t explain why people refuse to carry the cross. Each person has his/her own reason. When I failed to carry it, I lacked faith, I was lazy, but most of all I had pride. 

Further, I can’t justify why the Vatican has taken such action nor do I wish to expound on the upcoming Synod on Synodality this fall. The fact that the objective to change the Deposit of Faith (the body of saving truth entrusted by Christ to the Apostles and handed on by them to be preserved and proclaimed), seems warped. It is not consistent with what Christ’s Church teaches. (In fact Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ stated that the synod will not be about Church teachings. You can draw your own conclusions.)

In response to our impatience regarding justice, Father Chad Ripperger once said that we must trust God’s timing, as it is perfect. God is going to give everyone of His creation a chance to repent. 

For those who fail to pick the cross, St. Vincent de Paul had something to say about that.

“You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy – the root of all that is evil, and the failure of all that is good. For God resists the proud." (my emphasis)

Mark 8:34 

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”

Jesus couldn’t be any more clear.

God Bless you.