Day 31 Learn from this Cross

 So Thomas decides to go on a week long retreat for Easter.  He decides to go to a Trappist monastery in Kentucky.  One the first day he is blown away by the simplicity of the monks, and the simple, powerful Mass they say.  He writes;

See Who God is! Realize what this Mass is! See Christ here, on the Cross! See His wounds, see His torn hands, see how the King of Glory is crowned with thorns! Do you know what Love is? Here is Love, Here on this Cross, here is Love, suffering these nails, these thorns, that scourge loaded with lead, smashed to pieces, bleeding to death because of your sins and bleeding to death because of people that will never know Him, and never think of Him and will never remember His Sacrifice.  Learn from Him how to love God and how to love men! Learn of this Cross, this Love, how to give your life away to Him.  pg 323

Wow.  What a great meditation for Good Friday.  Up until now Thomas hasn't focused on personal sin/suffering except in an abstract way.  Now all of a sudden Jesus is smashed to pieces, bleeding to death because of MY sins?  Let's go back to the abstract please, and while we are at it please delete my whiny post about my migraine.  

I often shy away from the cross; from any suffering I  have to do or I have caused.  But here is a reminder that I (and we as society) have to take responsibility for our actions.  We introduced sin into God's perfect world.  I am a sinner and I need to be saved.  God is more than willing to save me but I can't forget that I need saving.  If God did this for me and I am to follow Him, what should I be willing to do to Love?  Even if I don't want to I need to remember the cross and learn from it.

My prayer today, Lord, Thank you for taking the sins of the world on for me.  Thank you for saving me.  Strengthen me to follow you when the going gets a little tough and teach me how to more fully do You will.  Amen 

Pax

Joe