A Happy & Blessed Easter

I hope everyone had a joyful Easter. I had a wonderful Triduum and Easter. Our services and Masses were very well attended and in fact surprised us by their numbers in a couple of cases. We had 24 persons enter the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. It was a wonderful evening and I confirmed 12 of the persons. Having performed a Confirmation I have now participated in all 7 of the sacraments as an ordained priest!!! How cool!

This week has been recovery week from the Lenten season. I was able to keep my promist to blog every day of Holy Week as well as nearly every Monday & Thursday entry during Lent. Yea! But now that Lent is over, I am at a loss as to what to blog about. Since I am not much for simply babbling (except in this blog entry it seems) I would welcome any suggestions as to topics, ideas or anything to discuss. Since you are my readers, I figure you'll actually read things you are interested in and have suggested. So, let me know what you think and in the meantime I'll just keep blogging about PoP and life as a priest. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 08:16 | link | comments (2) |
blog

Good Friday: My work is complete (WARNING...THIS GETS GRAPHIC)

These last moments of Jesus' life begin the first moments of our life...eternal life. His death brings us everlasting life:

The soldiers step back to admire their handiwork. I cannot move I can barely breath. My mouth is so dry that I cannot even cry out in pain. I can feel the heat of the midday sun on me. It feels like a thousand needles burning into my body as its rays touch my skin. It is absolute agony to move even an inch. Each wound stings with sharp pain as my sweat seeps into the gashes. I can feel blood flowing down my arms and legs as it collects on the ground below me.

Raising my head slightly I see my mother and the disciple John standing a few feet away. The soldiers are too busy dividing up my clothes to even notice them. My mother will need someone to help her through these coming days of emotional torture. John is such a loving and gentle man. With great struggle I say, "Woman, there is your son..." Looking to John I rasp, "...there is your mother." I see John take her into his arms as they move back partway down the hill.

I feel as if I am being crushed with each breath. Simply taking a breath means I have to push with my feet so my body is lifted up enough for my lungs to inhale. I can feel the nails as they continue to tear my flesh but the bones of my hands and feet prevent me from moving more than an inch.

For the first time I see two men on crosses with me; one on each side. With great pain I turn my head to the left. The man glares at me with anger and hatred in his eyes. He shouts out to me, "If you are the Christ then save us. Bring us down off these crosses..." and with sarcasm "IF you are the Christ." The other man, however, responds to him, "Do you not fear God even as we are dying here. We deserve to die because of what evil acts we did but this man did nothing wrong." Then, looking at me he rasps, "Jesus, I believe your ARE the Christ. Remember me when you enter your kingdom." By this man's truthfulness and kind words to me his soul is saved. Hoarsly I reply, "This day you will be with me in paradise."

In the past few minutes it has gotten dark even though its just coming on three o'clock. There are storm clouds overhead and a sharp wind has come up. The wind, instead of cooling me, burns my wounds as it blows onto them. I am so weak from the loss of blood. I am beginning to get lightheaded as I cannot get enough air to breathe. I can only take a short breath a couple of times a minute because it is simply too hard to lift my body anymore. My throat is burning and I see a guard below. I groan to him, "I thirst." He laughs jeeringly and puts a sponge onto a stick. He shoves it up to my face. As my lips touch it he pulls it away with an wicked snicker.

I gasp to take another breath. My body begins to shudder as it shuts down from lack of air. Taking in as much air as I can I shout out, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit" The world begins to fade to black as I wheeze one last time, "It is finished."

 

posted by: crossman at 13:38 | link | comments (1) |
blog

Good Friday: The final hours (WARNING...THIS GETS GRAPHIC)

Jesus comes to the final hours and the agony of the cross:

My knees are torn and bloody from falling to the ground. My strength has left me and I can barely lift my legs at each step. There are crowds of people lining the street screaming insults and spitting on me. I see someone step out of the crowd just ahead. It's my mother. My mouth is so dry that I cannot speak. I look into her eyes and see the anguish she feels watching her son on his way to die. Her body shakes as she silently sobs. I remember the story she told me of when her and Joseph brought me to the temple as a baby. She spoke of the person who approached her and said, "a sword shall pierce your heart." She reaches out a hand to touch me but a soldier steps up and moves her back to the crowd. Another soldiers shoves me forward away from my mother.

I struggle to stay standing up after the soldier has shoved me but I cannot. I fall to my knees for the second time. Blood is seeping from my wounds. I have blood and sweat in my eyes and my face is covered in dirt. A woman steps forward with a piece of cloth. She wipes my face and carefully dabs the blood from my eyes. A soldier grabs me by the arm and drags me to my feet. The woman steps back. Her kindness will not go unnoticed by my Father.

I see a soldier push a man forward from the crowd. He looks terrified but he walks up to me and takes ahold of the beam of the cross. Just his slight touch on the cross gives temporary relief to my body. I give a weak smile of gratitude to him. He nods his head back to me. I whisper, "your reward will be great in heaven, my son." We trudge on.

We have come to the foot of the hill. The man helping me is taken away by a soldier and I feel the full weight of the cross on my shoulders again. The sheer weight has dug into my shoulders. Blood flows from the deep gashes that the cross has made there. I begin walking up the hill but as I near the top my body can go no more and I fall face first into the ground. Rocks cut into my cheeks and I have a mouthful of dirt.

The soldiers have decided that this is far enough. Three soldiers take the cross off my back and lay it beside me. Another soldier rolls me over onto the beam of the cross. I am too weak to move on my own as a soldier barks at me to stretch out my arm. He grabs my left arm and yanks it so hard that he partially dislocates it. I feel something cold against my palm. I see the soldier's arm rise up into the air and when it comes down excruciating pain shoots through my body as a nail drives through my hand. The pain is so overwhelming that I nearly pass out. I can feel blood flowing from the torn flesh of my hand and down my arm. Another soldier pulls on my other arm and I turn my head. This time I watch as he places against my palm an iron nail about 10 inches long and 2 inches thick. Father, forgive them...they do not know what they are doing. He swings and again unbearable pain as I see the nail rip through the my hand. I feel someone at my feet placing one foot on top of the other and then indescrible agony as the nail tears through both feet an into the wood. The cross is being lifted off the ground and waves of pain run through me as my pierced hands and feet support the whole weight of my body. The sacrifice of my body has been made.

Until 2:30 PM...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 10:25 | link | comments |
blog

Good Friday: The agony begins (WARNING...THIS GETS GRAPHIC)

The final hours of Christ's Passion begin. He is scourged and beaten, abused and tortured. In great pain these thoughts pass through his mind:

Although Pilate did try to convince the crowds that he didn't want to have anything to do with me otherwise he has shown me no mercy. They are tying me to a pillar in the back courtyard of the praetorian. My body is wrenched as they viciously tear my clothes from me. A Roman soldier grabs a whip. It has a sharp spike on the end. I see him raise his arm and swing the whip toward my body. Agonizing pain shoots through my body as the whip strikes my side and wraps around my back. He swings again. I twist against the chains as searing pain racks my body. He swings again and the whip wraps completely around me smearing my cheek with my own blood. Again and again he strikes me. I can feel the whip literally rip flesh off my sides, my back, my arms. I weakly look down to the ground and see my blood pooling on the stones. After what seems like hours, the soldier stops. They untie me from the pillar. I can't even stand and fall to the ground. I don't even have enough strength to put my arms out and my face slams in to the stone. I am laying in the pool of my own blood.

They're dragging me to my feet and shoving me against a wall. Out of the corner of my eye I see one of the soldiers with something in his hand. It's a branch from a thorn bush that has been made into a ring. He places it onto my head and pushes down hard. I feel sharp stabs of pain as the thorns puncture my skin. Blood is running down my temple into my eye. It mixes with my sweat and burns but my hands are being held to my side by the soldiers. They drag me away from the wall and out into the main courtyard. We stop in front of a wooden cross nearly 9 feet tall. It takes three soldiers to lift it up. Then they drop it hard onto my shoulders. The weight is nearly unbearable. My knees go weak and a soldier puts out a hand to steady me. The soldiers lead me down the street. I struggle to walk as I drag this immense piece of wood along. My Way has begun.

Until noon...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 06:11 | link | comments (1) |
blog

Holy Thursday: Arrest and trial

These last 16 hours are the culmination of Jesus' ministry on earth. They are also the most painful, humiliating, and agonizing of his life. Remember this: he did all of this...he suffered everything...FOR US!

My disciples are just a few feet away and yet I feel so alone. There is no one, except my Father, who can imagine the anguish I am going through right now. I am so scared that my legs are too weak for me to stand. I fall to my knees here on the rocky ground. It's the first of many times I will sink to my knees in the coming hours. I need my Father's help.

"My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me" Yet, I know this is what I came here for. "but, not as I will, but as you will."

I rise from my knees and return to the disciples. They're asleep. It's ok, though, they do not know what is about to happen. "Peter, so you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test."

My soul is so heavy it feels as if I am being crushed. Only my Father can give me the comfort I need. I fall to my knees again. "My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!" I can feel His power, His grace flowing through me. I feel a sense of calm. He has even sent one of His angels to be next to me. I am at peace. It is time.

"Peter, get up. The hour is here." I can see the temple guard and angry crowd entering the garden as I speak. Judas is leading them. Again, I pray for his soul. There is such a mob. "Have you all come with sword and clubs as if I were a fleeing criminal. I have taught many times in the temple and yet you never tried to arrest me." Judas is coming up to me. He kisses me on each cheek. "You betray me with a kiss?" I know Satan has entered his soul.

The temple guard have stepped forward. I flinch in pain as they roughly grab my arms and bind them behind my back. The disciples scatter and run away. I notice Peter, however, run behind a rock at the other side of the garden.

The mob shoves me forward and out of the garden toward the house of the high priest. Glancing over my shoulder I can see Peter following at a distance. The chief priests and the elders are gathered here in Caiaphas' courtyard. They are cursing me and shouting at me. Caiaphas is face-to-face with me yelling. I will not speak. My actions here on earth and the works of my Father speak for themselves. He orders me to speak, however, so I tell them of the plan of my Father, "From now on you will see 'the Son of Man' seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven." He goes into a rage and the mob has rushed around me. They are spitting in my face and punching me. Caiaphas has told the guards to take me to Pilate. My fate is now sealed. They lead me away.

Tomorrow, I will make a post at 7:00 AM. Until then...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 20:18 | link | comments |
blog

Holy Thursday: This is my Body...This is my Blood

Tonight we begin the Triduum. We begin those three days that we celebrate as a single event. Jesus will give us the Eucharist, suffer, die and be placed in the tomb within these few short hours. Jesus know this and so he begins the sacrifice:

It's time for the final and ultimate sacrifice to begin. I know my disciples won't fully understand what I am about to do but they are about to be ordained as priests of my new Church. In time, they will come to understand this. It it time. I pick up the bread, "Blessed are you Father of all creation for through your goodness we have this bread to offer." I begin breaking off pieces and pass them out to the disciples. "Take and eat; this IS my body which I give up for you." And now the wine. "Blessed are you Father of all creation for through your goodness we have this wine to offer." I begin passing the cup around to each of them. "Drink from it, all of you, for this IS my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of all for the forgiveness of sins."

It is complete. The Eucharist sacrifice has been done. I know they will repeat this perpetually until the end of time. First, it is time for me to begin this final journey. "I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father."

As we enter the Mount of Olives I am feeling such a weight upon me. I'm scared and fearful. I have a sense of dread. I am so upset that I am shaking. I need my closest friends beside me. I need to talk to my Father. "Friends, tonight your faith is going to be put to the test. You are going to falter but don't be ashamed. Everything will be ok." Peter, being ever the leader says to me, ""Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be." But it will, Peter. I know it will. "Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times."

I feel that sense of hopelessness again. I have to speak to my Father. I need His strength to have the courage to fulfill my mission here on earth.

In these next 36 hours I am going to be doing something unique for me. I will be making a second post this evening between 6 and 10PM. On Good Friday I will post an entry at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM and 2:30 PM as he struggles on his Way to Calvary and the final hours on the Cross. Until tonight...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 07:51 | link | comments |
blog

Holy Wednesday: The Passover begins

As Jesus begins the Passover he is aware that the faith of some has already been destroyed while the faith of the other disciples will be shaken in these next few hours. He knows what has already happened and realizes that the hour has come:

Judas was given 30 pieces of silver this morning to have me arrested. My disciples deserve to know that there a person among us who will betray me. However, I will not reveal who it is by name for his sake and for the sake of his soul. "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me this very night." I can see that they are deeply disturbed at my words. They are mumbling to themselves asking who this person might be. Some look confused. Some look scared. Some, including Peter of course, look angry.

I need to calm them down. "He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me." I want them to know that this is the will of my Father. "The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him." Yet, they should also know that Judas, although I won't call him by name, has sold his very soul. "Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." I feel Judas himself tug on my tunic and say to me, ""Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" You know it is you yet I will not reveal your betrayal to the others. "You have said so."

Now that they know that one of them will betray my they also need to know that all of their lives will be forever changed on this night. They must understand that this is their ordination into the priesthood. This very night I bestow upon them the ministry of the sacradotal priest. They will act in my name when I return to the Father. They will re-present this sacrifice I am about to give them. I want them to realize that from this point forward they live not for themselves but for the service of others. I'll show them this by being an example to them.

They are staring at me in confusion as I get up from the table. I should remove my tunic. I will tie this towel around myself just as the servants do. They are whispering to each other as I hold this pitcher of water with one hand and the basin in the other. They are each staring at me as I kneel before them washing their feet. They are not sure what to do. I realize their confusion but they must understand that we are servants of my Father's people. This is the only way they can understand; if they see me serving as well. Now it is Peter's turn. I can already see he is going to put up a fuss. That s just like Peter, though, and I love him for his fire and outspokenness to me. "Master, are you going to wash my feet?" I don't think even Peter knows what my actions mean. "What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later." Peter, I already know what you are going to say even as the words come out of your mouth. "You will never wash my feet." I know he is uncertain but he also knows I have a purpose for doing this. "Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me." I am curious as to how he will respond to that. "Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well." I should have known. Peter, you always overdo it but I love you dearly.

Now I want them to know that they are to imitate my example tonite. "Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."His betrayal has taken place. The wheels have been set into motion. He has given them an example of the service they must show to everyone they minister to and has given us the same example as well.. This is the last and most important thing he teaches them Now begins the Passover meal. We are ready to celebrate his ultimate sacrifice. We are ready to be given his very Body and Blood in the Eucharist. He will offer this to us in just one day.

Until tomorrow...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 06:10 | link | comments |
blog

Holy Tuesday: Prepare the Passover

Knowing that the time is close to begin this final journey he says to his disciples:

"Go and prepare for the Passover for us to celebrate. A man in the city will show you a small room which we will use to celebrate the feast. There you will set up a wooden table in which we can prepare the Passover sacrifice." A few hourse later, I enter the room. I see that the bread is laid on the table. The wined is poured. With my disciples we come into the room an hour before the feast is to begin. In less than 24 hours it will not be this table where we prepare the sacrifice. I will be a wooden cross in which I will prepare to celebrate the ultimate sacrifice. It will be MY own Body laid on the cross. It will be MY own Blood poured out. I will enter into that final hour of the event that will forever change the world. It is the will of my Father. It is why I came into this world.

I sit down in the center of my disciples. Judas Iscariot, my betrayer, is to my left. John, the one whom I love so dearly, sits to my right. The Passover sacrifice begins. How ironice that in just a few hours I will hang between two persons on either side of me as my own sacrifice beings. The two persons hanging with me will be as contrasting as Judas and John are before me right now. On Calvary, the man on my left, with hate in his heart, will curse me in selfishness. That same selfishness has already entered the heart of Judas. Again, I must pray for his soul. The criminal on my right, like John, will be filled with faith and humility. He simply seeks my love and my presence in his life even as it is about to come to an end.

So we begin the final hours of Jesus Christ. He is about to become the Paschal sacrifice. He is to be the Lamb of God sacrificed for the sins of the world. Coming forth from the Passover table will be the unending Eucharist celebrated daily for the rest of time. God be with us as we follow him to his death.

Until tomorrow...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 09:34 | link | comments |
blog

Holy Monday: Anticipation of his death

Jesus visits Mary, Martha and Lazarus one last time before his Passion begins. Sitting at the table, is mind turns to them:

Mary, the brother of my friend Lazarus, is anointing my feet as I speak. Just across the room my own betrayer, Judas Iscariot, is complaining to me about the waste of this oil. I know it will not be perfumed oil that covers my feet a few days from now. It will be my own blood flowing from my flesh pierced by nails. Judas will have had a conversion of heart, but it will be too late. Judas' complaints to the Jewish leader will have fallen on deaf ears. He will have hung himself from a tree from despair. I pray to my Heavenly Father for Judas that he may receive His infinite mercy.

I want to speak to those here, "Friends, Mary is preparing me for my burial. She does me a great honor with her selfless act of love." I already knows that my death is near. "Mary, bless you for your act of kindness."

Her actions are a show of great kindness. We will see that same kindness from Joseph of Arimathea as he will give his own tomb to the crucified Christ. His time draws near. The suffering is about to begin. But our salvation is also about to begin. He will die for us so that we never have to die for our own sin.

Until tomorrow...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 06:02 | link | comments |
blog

Palm Sunday: He rides in triumphant

Each day of this Most Holy Week, I will be posting a reflection of the Passion as seen from the eyes of Jesus. I will write these as if Jesus himself is thinking these thoughts. On this Palm Sunday his reflections being:

I'm riding into Jerusalem on a donkey surrounded by hundreds of 'followers.' They are cheering as I enter the city. I hear them cheering, but I also know that in a few short days those cheers will turn to jeers and insults. I will not be carried out of the city on the back of a donkey. Rather I will carry a wooden cross on my own back as I walk in shame to my death.

These 'followers' are laying palms and the cloaks along the path to line the way into the city. Soon, it will be sharp rocks, harsh dirt and my own blood lining the path leading to Calvary. My 'followers' will have abandoned me to be replaced with Roman soldiers and hateful mobs of people cursing at me. My Father in heaven, give me the strength to fulfill you will.

So begins Christ's journey. This is his final journey that will complete his mission here on earth. It will end in his triumph but not the false triumph of Palm Sunday. His triumph will be an eternal triumph over sin and over death; not for himself but for us.

Until tomorrow...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 06:52 | link | comments |

In the home stretch

This is the last week before Holy Week and it's like we see that sign on the road that says our destination is the next exit. But we still have a little ways to go so we can't stop or we won't get there. This last week of Lent is just the same. If we have been using our time during Lent well, we may start to realize that Holy Week and especially Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday) is going to have a different feel to it. You probably aren't feeling some mind altering spiritual epiphany. Hopefully, you are sensing that the end of Lent isn't just saying, "Hoorah, I can begin eating chocolate again" or "Praise the Lord, I don't have to get up 30 minutes early for morning prayer." Hopefully, the close of Lent is leading to anticipate Easter Sunday and the coming Easter season. This is what Lent is truly meant to do. It is meant to be a time of sacrifice and a time of reflection about our sinfulness that leads to our recognizing the ultimate sacrifice of Christ and the cleansing of our sins that leads to eternal life with the rising of Christ on Easter Sunday.

So, in this last week of Lent, try to focus on what this season has done for you. Reflect on how it has prepared you for Holy Week. Ask yourself what Lent has meant to you and what Easter will mean to you in just a few weeks. I will be away in St. Louis on Thursday, so I offer these prayers for this week.

Monday of the 5th Week of Lent: We have reflected on our sinfulness and our mortality. Pray: Lord, free me frommy sins and death.a Help me see that you bring us everlasting life by your death on the Cross and in your rising on Easter Sunday.

Tuesday of the 5th Week of Lent: As Lent draws to a close we seek to find that spirituality that will lead us to a fruitful Holy Week. Pray: God in heaven, open our hearts to the sacrifice of your Son. Let us see that in his death we find salvation and eternal life with You.

Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent: Our journey is coming to a close while your journey of the Way of the Cross is about to begin. Pray: Eternal Savior, help us to unite our Lenten journey, as insignificant as it might be, with your Passion so as to share in your glory.

Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent: In just one week you will celebrate the Passover and your Last Supper with the Apostles. Pray: Help us to recognize the renewal of this sacrifice in each Mass in which we participate and receive your Body and Blood with faith and humility.

Friday of the 5th Week of Lent: You prepare to nail our sins to the Cross where you will hang in agony for our evil ways. Pray: Lord, open my eyes to the pain, suffering, anguish and torturous death you endured for our salvation

Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent: Tomorrow we celebrate Palm Sunday. We remember your triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Pray: May we be aware that your glorious entrance into Jerusalem led to the agonizing departure of you bearing the weight of the Cross and the weight of our sins on your way to Calvary.

Starting on Palm Sunday, I will be posting a daily reflection. These are rather unique in that I am writing these reflections on the events of Jesus' Passion intermixed with the events of Holy Week. It's hard to describe so you'll have to read them to understand what I mean. Until Palm Sunday...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 03:58 | link | comments (2) |
blog

Trying to catch up...

I missed my Lenten reflections last Thursday due to a cold I had (and still have). It has been difficult celebrating Mass this weekend with barely having a voice and pretty much being worn out about half way through Mass. I am not going to make this a very long post. I just wanted to speak on the Sacrament of Reconciliation for a moment.

Lent is the ideal time to make use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is a time when we reflect on our sinfulness. It is a time when we prepare ourselves for the coming of Easter. We prepare for Good Friday when Jesus died for our sins. We prepare for Easter Sunday when Jesus rose from the dead. We too must die to our sins so that we can rise with Christ to new life. Reconciliation is where we do this.

Did you know that recent study showed 42% of practicing Catholics NEVER go to reconciliation. And of those that do, 32% or one-third go less than once a year. If we let it our sins can overwhelm us. They can become a weight on our shoulders. We can even feel like a prisoner to our sins. Reconciliation can free us from these burdens. It can be a way of finding peace. It can be a way to heal us. I encourage you to go to reconciliation before Easter. Let Jesus remove that weight from you. Let him say to you as he said of Lazarus, "Untie him and let him go."

Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 06:25 | link | comments |
blog

More random ramblings...

More random ramblings...
I thought I'd post a few more observations that I come across at the parish. Most of these are individuals who came to me either after Mass on Sundays or when I was in the halls going from one place to another. You're going to love these!!!

After a Sunday Mass: "Does it count as my Sunday obligation if I accidently fell asleep during the Mass. I have had insomnia lately." (I'm not making these up!!!)

From a person who comes to Mass on Fridays: "I work on Saturdays and I'm pretty tired on Sundays. Couldn't Friday count as my Sunday obligation?" (Uh...Friday <> Sunday for those mathmaticians out there)

I overheard this after Mass from a wife to her husband: Wife said, "Do we have some ones for the car wash?" Husband responded, "Yea, I made change for a twenty from the collection basket" (my jaw is on the floor at this moment!)

A question asked at the baptism preparation class: "Can one of the godparents be someone in our family who has died?"

and my absolute favorite...

A lady came out of crying after an emotional confession: someone standing in line said, "My God what kind of penances is he giving in there!"

Welcome to my world. They do give me a giggle and put a smile on my face even if some of them seem kind of sacreligious. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 08:16 | link | comments (2) |
blog

Don't let Lent drag you down

There comes that time on a road trip when we get tired of driving. We wonder if we'll ever get there. The children in the back seat begin asking, "Are we there yet?" All the stress of the trip tires us out.

As we enter this 4th Week of Lent, we can begin to feel dragged down by the liturgical season. Our Lenten sacrifice may be becoming more difficult to keep. We may feel that we aren't moving forward spiritually as quickly as we would like. We may even feel like we can't make it and are tempted to quit. It is during this time more than ever that we need to turn to Jesus for help. This is that place in Lent when we struggle to move forward. It is at this time that we need to unite ourselves with the Cross of Christ. Christ faced his greatest hardship not on the cross but on the way to Calvary. He dragged his cross with pain and anguish. He stumbled. He struggled to move forward. He didn't give up, however. He knew that he had to reach Calvary for our salvation and he kept going through the grace of his Heavenly Father. We must do the same in these last weeks.

Monday of the 4th Week of Lent: We have come to realize our struggles, our sins and our fears in this season of Lent. They may begin to wear us down with guilt or a sense of despair. Pray: Lord, take away my fears and unite them with your cross so that I may continue to move forward in my faith knowing that your sacrifice saved me.

Tuesday of the 4th Week of Lent: We may begin to see the suffering and injustice in our world today because of our growth in our faith. This may lead us to be embittered or afraid or without hope. Pray: Jesus, help me realize that you have conquered sin and although evil still exists in the world we know that your salvation also exists if we simply trust in you and have faith.

Wednesday of the 4th Week of Lent: In our struggles in this season we may feel alone. Our strength may be waning and we may even feel abandoned. Pray: Jesus, help me to know that I am not alone on this journey. You bear the weight of my cross and are with me every step of the way. Help me to see you beside and gain strength from your presence in my life.

Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 07:53 | link | comments (1) |
blog