Encountering The Cross (Week Two)

  

   It had been the worst two months of his life. Jim still couldn't wrap his head over losing his job and everything else that followed. He closed his eyes and fell to the ground on his knees. When Jim opened his eyes again, he found himself on his favorite path. So many times in the past, he almost ran up this mountain path, but not today. Today, even just breathing the mountain air was difficult. Today, his favorite path seemed dark and confusing. He lost his footing more than once, tripping over half-buried rocks and sliding over slippery gravel. Then he tripped over something and hit the ground hard.

 Jim just played there for a minute, not wanting to get up. After several minutes, he slowly pulled himself up. He had a couple of nice scrapes, but nothing appeared broken. "What did I even trip over?" Jim thought to himself. He walked back a couple of feet and looked at the ground. "You have got to be kidding me," he said out loud. How did he not see that large wooden cross on the ground? How did it appear out of nowhere? Stripped of his material possessions and pride, Jim just stood there feeling naked and cold. Looking at the rough wood, he saw two words carved into the grain: Trust Me.

 Jim just stared at those words, unable to move. Was he really capable of trusting anyone right now? As he stood there, the sun pushed through the clouds, and something shiny caught his eye a few feet past the cross. Jim walked over and picked up the fancy pen lying in the grass. It looked similar to the ones he had always carried in his briefcase. Jim held the pen as he walked back to the cross. His eyes fixated on the words "Trust Me." Jim wondered, "Was this an invitation? A command? Or insanity?"

 After several soul-bearing moments, Jim bent down and, using the pen, etched out two new words on the cross beam, "Lead Me" " As he picked up the cross, the wind blew, unveiling a path to his right. He thoughtfully considered the path. "Maybe it's time to leave this old path behind and follow this new one." Jim took a deep breath in and then slowly released it. He repositioned his hands to get a better grip on the cross. The weight was heavy but manageable.

  Faithfully, he began walking up this new path. And although he had no idea where it was going, he didn't feel lost. Jim knew he was being led.

-Susan

 

Encountering The Cross (Week One)

 

 

 Numbly, she walked through the maze of hospital hallways towards the exit. She couldn't control the tears. She didn't even try to wipe them away. She just let them fall. Blurred faces walked past, but the only thing that she could focus on was the doctor's voice, "It's stage four cancer. There's not much we can do."

 She opened and closed her car door as quickly as possible. She sat down and hit the steering wheel repeatedly. She screamed with fierce anger, "Why? Why are you letting this happen to me?" For a long time, she sobbed uncontrollably, begging God to take away this cross. When her tears ran dry, she sat wholly exhausted, looking straight into her future. From the depths of her being came words she almost choked on, "Lord, let Your Will be done." From nowhere, a fresh load of tears flooded her face. When those tears slowed, she whispered one more prayer, "Lord, will you help me, please? I can't do this alone," she said. After that prayer, a wave of peace came over her. She knew she would not carry this cross alone.

 She backed her car out of the parking space and shifted into drive.  She had resolved to move forward, realizing she had no control over where she was headed. Each day, she paved her path with prayers through a strenuous terrain of doctor visits, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. She had a lot of bad days, and she had some horrible days. But God kept His promise. He never left her side. His love and peace held her from falling apart.

 From time to time, she still wondered, "Why?' 

 But God never answered that question. Instead, He would whisper, "Trust me, child." 

 And she would reply, "Jesus, I trust in You,"

-Susan 

Encountering the Cross (Introduction)

 

  As we journey through Lent this year, I want to concentrate on the theme: Encountering the Cross.  We are all called to carry our cross.  Jesus says, "For whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matt 16:24). We know this, yet sometimes we are surprised that as we work to grow closer to God, suddenly, the cross stands before us.  Our first response is, "Why?  Why is this necessary? I'm trying so hard to follow You."  Although this may be our first response, it is not the most important.  Our second response to the cross is more important.  What are we going to do next?

  The series will begin tomorrow.

-Susan

Out With The Old, Go Bold!

 

  Lent is only a few days away. Perfectly, Ash Wednesday is on Valentine's Day, a day we devote to those we love. Unfortunately, most people don't get excited for the season of Lent. Many of us feel thrown off guard as if it snuck up and yelled, "Surprise! It's Me, Lent!" Sometimes, a mild form of panic or dismay creeps in, asking, "What will you do? What are you giving up?" Fortunately, there are so many beautiful ways to grow closer to Christ. Please pray about it. Don't make this important decision on your own.

 I want to suggest going bold this year. Do something new. Choose something difficult. It's okay if we come up short. It doesn't mean we failed. It just means we have yet to perfect that particular attitude or action. It doesn't mean we should give up or settle for something more manageable. Sometimes, a failed attempt means we need to approach the challenge differently.

 Introspection can be challenging. Recognizing and confronting our shortcomings can be discouraging, but it shouldn't be. Remember, God is in love with you. Where we see weakness, God sees opportunities to grow. He takes great delight in helping us do more than we ever thought imaginable. We might think, "Oh, no, it's Lent again (big sigh). What am I going to do this year?"

 God, on the other hand, is revving up for the big season. God is bubbling with joy as He says, "It's Lent again! Let me show you what I know is possible this year! I Am so excited to grow closer to you!" 

-Susan

The Question

 

  I was looking for some inspiration before writing today. I individually threw out this question to my children. "Hey, I need an idea for my blog this week. Can you share any moments you have had with God lately?" 

 I received very similar responses. "No, nothing big going on lately."

 "I didn't say it had to be big. Can you tell me a moment you felt God was near to you?" Silence.

 My daughter said, "Mom, I just don't think I have as many special moments with God as you do."

 I replied, "I don't think that is true. I don't think I have more moments with God; I think I might have more awareness of God. I'm always looking for God's Presence in my life."

 So this is the question I leave you with this week. Do you think God is always active in your life? I honestly believe God cares about all the details of our lives. Big and little moments, He's there.

 As my children get older, I don't know everything about their lives. I only know the parts they share with me. I wonder if, on some level, we treat God that way as well. It is as if God is on a need-to-know basis rather than realizing He knows us better than we know ourselves. God is always active in our lives. The question isn't whether He is near but whether we allow Him to be close enough to feel His breath across our face as He whispers in our ears, "My child, I love you so very much."  

-Susan

How Clear Is Your Vision?

 

  This morning, I let my dog outside and looked across the backyard. There was something in the yard that looked unusual to me. I asked my daughter, "What is that in the yard?" 

 "Mom, that is just a fallen tree branch with shriveled-up leaves," she answered confidently, surprised at my confusion.

 "No, I don't think it is," I responded. I took my phone out of my back pocket, took a picture, and zoomed in on it. "Oh, you were right."

 "I know I was, " my daughter teased. "I don't know why you couldn't see it."

 Most of us can relate to not always seeing things accurately. This thought popped into my brain while preparing for tomorrow's readings. I imagined myself sitting in my usual pew at Mass. What did I see at Mass, and how much am I missing? How visible is God to me? Am I seeing the whole picture?

  How is this same Mass viewed from heaven? I imagine it is entirely different. From heaven, our understanding will be complete and our vision clear. God will be so visibly present in each moment. Imagine seeing the graces given to the Church and to each person present. Imagine seeing all the angels and saints surrounding the altar. Seeing the Lamb of God given to the Father just for you. Envision praising God with new boldness and love. 

  Tomorrow, I'm going to try to see the Mass differently. I know my vision will still be limited, but what if I allow God to enlighten my heart and soul so my mind can envision more than I currently see? And, I wonder if God will teasingly tell me, "I don't know why you couldn't see it?"  

-Susan

Stay Hungry

 

 My daughter told me a cute story I thought I would share. She had gone to Mass that day, and after receiving Holy Communion, my five-year-old granddaughter was pouting and giving my daughter a look. My daughter whispered, "What's wrong?"

 My granddaughter answered, "It must be nice that they gave you something to eat. I didn't get anything."

 "Are you hungry?" my daughter asked.

 "Yes, I am!" my granddaughter replied.

 After Mass, my daughter got my granddaughter a snack and explained that she was receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus. This made quite an impression on my granddaughter because she excitedly told me later that day, "Did you know my Mom received Jesus' body and blood today?"

 I wanted to share this story because sometimes we take the Eucharist for granted. The Eucharist is such an incredible gift!  We may no longer allow our childhood wonder to amaze us. We forget to approach the altar hungry for our Lord. It is easy to fill our stomachs and intellect, but our soul is starving to be reunited with Jesus. We allow our bodies and minds to voice their needs, yet we are deaf to the cries of our souls.

 I want to offer some advice. Listen to the inner voice of your soul. It is crying out for love. A love that cannot be found on earth. A love so strong that it destroyed death and opened the doors of heaven wide open. Allow your soul to hunger for the Lord and beg the Father to give you this day, your daily bread.

-Susan