Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple (v.27).

It is a phrase we are all well familiar with and so often it is taken to mean that when we are beset by problems, plagued by troubles, and at the point of being burdened beyond hope. That we should remember what Christ has done for us on his Cross and be renewed in the love of God to persevere and to turn over our sufferings to Jesus, joining our sufferings with his.  The verse does have that meaning and application in our lives, but that meaning does not exhaust the treasures that lie within God’s word.  

The gospels of this summer have been lessons on how we are to be disciples in the everyday of our lives.  But how do we think about carrying our cross in everyday life? To carry one’s cross is to have discerned our mission as part of God’s plan – in the everyday, when things are OK, lots of SSDD – you know, same stuff, different day.  But unless we are attentive to God’s plan , there are several pitfalls and bumps along the way.  One of the pitfalls is to craft for ourselves a more comfortable cross.

We are blessed to live in a comfortable country where we can be quite lured by our ability to have it now, instant satisfaction, mission accomplished, check it off and get on to the next thing. You might remember comedian Yakov Smirnoff. When he first came to the United States from Russia he was not prepared for the incredible variety of instant products available in American grocery stores. He says, “On my first shopping trip, I saw powdered milk. You just add water, and you get milk. Then I saw powdered orange juice. You just add water, and you get orange juice. And then I saw baby powder, and I thought to myself, “What a country!”

This week I asked several moms – knowing what you know, if you could streamline being pregnant down to one week – would you do it?  To a person, even if it meant spending the last trimester during a hot, humid Florida summer, without hesitation, their answer was “no.”  The reasons were imbued with wisdom – some mystical: to know and feel a life growing and maturing within you.  Some practical: especially the last trimester, it’s difficult to get a whole night’s sleep – it’s like training camp for after the baby is born.  There is wonder, wisdom, grace and joy in carrying that cross that is not always the most comfortable.

Sometimes in the midst of our rather routine everyday, maybe we consider the cross of discipleship and think “you know this is a rather thankless thing I do. I try to do my work, my occupation, my ministry, but maybe I should be ….”  I guess it depends on what comes next, but another pitfall is that maybe I begin to try and craft myself a more glorious cross.

During the dark days of World War II, England had a great deal of difficulty keeping men in the coal mines. It was a thankless kind of job, totally lacking in any glory. Most chose to join the various military services. With this in mind, Winston Churchill gave a speech to thousands of coal miners, pointing out to them the importance of their role in the war effort. He asked them to imagine the grand parade that would take place when VE Day came. First, he said, would come the sailors of the British Navy, the ones who had upheld the grand tradition of Trafalgar and the defeat of the Armada. Next in the parade, he said, would come the pilots of the Royal Air Force. They were the ones who, more than any other, had saved England from the dreaded German Luftwaffe. Next in the parade would come the Army, the ones that had stood tall at the crises of Dunkirk. Last of all, he said, would come a long line of sweat-stained, soot-streaked men in miner’s caps. And someone, he said, would cry from the crowd, “And where were you during the critical days of the struggle?” And then from ten thousand throats would come, “We were deep in the earth with our faces to the coal.” 

Discipleship does not always come with big fancy ribbons. It is often the humble acts of service that provide us with the deepest sense of joy and the most fulfilling satisfaction. Found in the baby’s nursery at 3 in the morning.  Found in the less than glorious service of the coal mines of every day. And so we hear again this summer of gospels: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate” (13:14), “Gird [our] loins and light [our] lamps”(12:35) knowing that “the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (14:11).  In this way we are “faithful and prudent servants” (12:42).  As it says in the first reading, “who ever knew your counsel, except you had given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high? (Wis 9:12).  Here in the shadow of Labor Day, may God give us an appreciation for the work we have.  And let us continue to pray that God sends the Holy Spirit to encourage us to take up our cross of discipleship – not one more comfortable, not one more glorious, but the cross that we are to bear that gives the glory to God.  Ad maiorem Dei gloriam – For the greater glory of God. Sulum dies quotidie – each day, every ordinary day.

Image credit: Pexels | Tima Miroshnichenko | CC-BY