Embrace the Cross

By: Rick Hernandez

Sitting in Church, I look up at Christ on the Cross and ask, “Lord, you did not go out looking for pain and suffering. Yet, it was written that you would suffer, and in order to fulfill your mission of love and mercy you accepted this willingly. Were you tired, stretched out thin? Was your heart beating furiously? Were your lungs struggling to keep you alive? Or was your heart racing because of your immense love? Were you thinking about each of us, when battling to complete your mission? Oh, but how profoundly human were you, and how divine was your love!”
 
Jesus’ Cross was willingly accepted out of obedience to the Father, but most relevantly to us, because of His perfect love for us.

“The cross, the primary symbol of our faith, invites us to see grace where there is pain; to see resurrection where there is death.” (Henry Nouwen)

​After staring at the Cross over the altar, I close my eyes and still see its image in relief, almost like a photographic negative. I marvel at how the light continues to define the Cross, despite the darkness, yet, I realize that if I keep my eyes closed intentionally, the image carved by the light gradually fades. This illustrates a profound metaphor, the light of Christ can penetrate the darkness, even when we close our eyes, but we must open our eyes to ensure it does not fade. We must willingly let in the light. The Cross, once an instrument of torture, became the means of our salvation, and for us, a beacon of hope.

“The cross is not a punishment; it is a consolation. The saints have understood this.” (Saint Peter Julian Eymard)

The suffering of Christ in His Passion holds infinite redemptive value because it stems from His infinite love. Christ embraced His suffering for the forgiveness of our sins—such is His love for us. Our sufferings, too, hold value when offered with love. Suffering without conscious love is merely suffering, for the redemptive value of our suffering comes from our offering of it with love, transforming it into a cross akin to Christ’s.

“The weight of sin is not the cross. The cross is the bearing of the weight of our love for others.” (Father Justin Paskert)

Carrying our crosses helps us acknowledge God’s sovereignty, express gratitude for Christ’s sacrifice, and contribute to bringing His mercy to the world.

“Like my brothers, I offer up my body and my life for our ancestral laws, imploring God to show mercy soon to our nation, and by afflictions and blows to make you confess that he alone is God.” (2 Maccabees 7:37)
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When looking at the Cross of Christ, let us recognize that His suffering was offered for our good, our redemption, and our forgiveness. Understanding this allows us to view the pain that comes our way as purposeful. We do not go out looking for pain and suffering, but when they invariably find their way into our lives, let us remember that by uniting our suffering with His, we offer reparation for those we love and even for those we fail to love. The redemptive value of our suffering lies in our choice to embrace it as purposeful.

This realization underscores that our suffering can be a gift. Through suffering, we can gain a deeper understanding of those who are truly poor, in pain, sick, lonely, jailed, and disheartened. By accepting our suffering and uniting it with Christ’s, we help lighten the load of the Cross. Our embracing faith, encourages and uplifts one another, guiding us towards Heaven. When we suffer with Christ, it is not in vain but purposeful, encouraging, courageous, virtuous, and life-giving.

“Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.” (St. Rose of Lima)

Although most of us come into this world alone and will leave it alone, the journey is richer when shared. As we work towards our final union with Christ, let us embrace and celebrate our shared lives—the good and the bad, the joyous, and the sorrowful—knowing that in all these experiences, we walk with Christ. Let us help each other carry our crosses.

“Let us look to the Cross and be filled with peace, knowing that Christ has walked this road and walks it now with us and with all our brothers and sisters.” (Saint Teresa of Avila)

​Let us pray: Lord, thank you for your infinite love for us.  We give you thanks for the gift of your Cross. Help us this day, and every day, to pick up our own crosses and with great love, follow You. Amen.
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Rick Hernandez

Rick Hernandez is a commonsense Catholic, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament, and a Director for Elisheba House. He lives in Trinity, Florida, with his wife Ivonne and their children. He also writes for the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament's Daily Eucharistic Reflections and for Catholicmom.com.