29 April 2010

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery

Jesus Carries the Cross

Who's Cross is this?  Surely the Cross does not belong to Jesus.  This Cross that He shoulders is my cross.  It is mine by right but it is His by choice.  I earned that cross.  It is I who ought to be stretched out upon it.  The damage that I have done in this short life by my sins can only be considered worthy of the cross.  The innocence of Jesus cannot bear its weight.  He falls, he falls, and again he falls!  He is nearly dead from the treatment that He was given before He was made a spectacle for the crowd by Pilot - and now He does this?!  He carries my cross for me?  How ungrateful I am for such an unfathomable kindness.  Can I ever repay my Lord?  No.  He does not even ask it.  All He desires is my love.  Why can't I give to Him that which He asks in return?  Am I so weak.  Yes.  When faced with His strength, when he hoists the tree upon which He will hang, as He drags my sins to Calvary, and when it is all for love of me; I cannot but realize my utter helplessness before Him.  I am conquered by His love.  I want to despair for my lack of love.  I want to hid from His searching gaze.  But, I cannot hid from it.  I cannot crawl into the shadows and die in my sorrows.  I look upon my Lord who loves me and I want to love.  I hope to love.  I yearn to love!  Lord, teach me to love, Lord teach me to die so as to live.  Lord, help me because without you I cannot take a single step.  Lord!!

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