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