Experiencing Both Blades

To belong to God we have to experience the two~edged blade: the blade of joy, the blade of the cross.
~Servant of God Madeleine Delbrel 

                                 

                                           

I loved this quote from Madeleine Delbrel's reflection on today's Gospel(Matthew 16:24~28) in Magnificat. For me, it summed up Jesus' teaching on taking up our cross. Our crosses come in any variety of ways. Some are sent to us from God, others are self~inflicted. However they come, if we truly desire to belong to God, we need to not just embrace them, but embrace them with joy~ not an easy thing to do.

Jesus embraced His cross. I doubt that He found it easy, but there must have been joy in His Sacred Heart because He went to the cross for love of His Father's will and for love of each one of us.


                                                                                 

My Dear Lord Jesus,

The cross was not easy for You, but You embraced it. Help me to do the same. Help me to recognize the crosses in my life and accept them above all for love of You, but also for love of my neighbor and for my own salvation. May I die to myself so as to belong totally to You.

Amen.