. To be a Beacon of Love & Light to all .
John 19:16-17: The soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).
We Remember the Cross of Jesus
Jesus was led away carrying the cross
by himself. A cross is not just a piece of wood, it is everything that makes
life difficult. Jesus carried the crosses of his life without complaint, as a
poor person and as an itinerant prophet. In the calm and courageous way, he put
up with the threats of the Pharisees and the lack of understanding of his own
disciples. In the way that he carried all the burdens of his life but, in
particular, the way in which he carries this awful, final burden, he transforms
the cross from a symbol of condemnation into one of liberation.
We Name the Crosses of Today
There are burdens that we all carry, some are very obvious and others we take great care to hide. There are the burdens of illness, pain and disability, of old age, dependence, and caring for someone who no longer knows who we are. There are the burdens of constant fear, of loneliness and of isolation. The invitation of Jesus on the cross is to hand over these burdens to him.
We Pray
May we see your presence Lord in all the burdens we carry today. Help us to share our burdens more freely, not to be afraid to acknowledge our fears and our pain. May we be more aware of the crosses that others bear and make time to alleviate their burden. May your face shine on each one of us through the crosses we bear. Amen.