Beauty in Carrying the Cross

~~~~ James 2: 14-24, 26 ~~~~ Psalm 112 ~~~~ Mark 8: 34- 9:1 ~~~~

When I was in the convent, before taking my vows, we made our own crown of thorns. We clipped long branches from the thorny Mesquite bush. The thorns are quite sharp and the branches strong and hardy. In order to make them pliable and able to wind around into a circle we had to soak them overnight in water. The next day we were able to form them into the crown of thorns just the size for our head.

I can remember it being a solemn occasion as we sat securing our coil of thorns with pieces of wire and then attaching tiny delicate white silk flowers. We were going to be wed to Jesus. We were preparing for our wedding day. I even made a special box to keep this precious keepsake tucked away. It was gray and pink construction paper between sheets of clear plastic. There were six or eight sides I am not sure now. The handmade box was later relinquished for something stronger;
a metal cookie tin.

Some years later when I left the convent that crown of thorns was one of the few things I took home with me.  It was and still is something I treasure.When I married my husband and we went off for his military service we decided it best not to bring my 'cookie tin' along. We left it with my in-laws. They placed it safely hidden in the bottom of an empty brick planter in the living room.

Eventually we returned home and I was able to claim my crown of thorns. Recently I have used it for Lenten days of prayer. It still looks the same as the day I wore it on my head.
In over forty years these thorns are still intact.

Jesus told the crowd, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." While in the convent I had plenty ways to deny myself...times of prolonged silence, censored mail, begging for a bar of soap, forbidden to have contact with those not in my class. Community bathroom and showers down the hall, dormitory sleeping quarters, very little free time. Today those do not seem very significant, but when I was young they were huge.

"...take up your cross, and follow me."

It is not enough just to follow Jesus. Following Jesus is no guarantee of a burden free life. In some cases I think if you follow Christ you may even have more trials and crosses to bear. It is probably not so, but at times it seems if you believe you can take more.

When I look at my crown of thorns I do not think so much about the convent any more, I think about how the thorns were driven into Our Lord's precious head and then a huge wooden splintered cross was thrust upon his shoulders. I think of people I know who have had to carry heavy burdens in their lives...dread diseases...sexual abuse...loss of a child...alcoholism...etc.

The crosses we bear in life cannot be softened as my mesquite branches in an overnight soaking bath. They cannot be made more pliable, but we can allow others to help us carry our crosses. One thing I cherish in community is that while we each carry our own crosses we still reach out with a helping hand to lighten another's load. Together we follow Jesus. There is certainly strength in numbers.

When we help another with their cross, we are denying ourselves of self pity.

You cannot escape the cross and follow him at the same time.
If you try to ignore the cross; following Jesus is out of balance with the true Christian life.

When we embrace our cross with outstretched arms we are in alignment with the
Passion of Our Lord.

I invite you to look at the cross and the crown of thorns believing that Jesus understands. He will bring others into your life to help ease the burden. He will turn your sorrows into joy.

A couple years ago I took this picture in the narthex of our main church. The sun was shining through the stained glass window creating a soft blue glow across the thorn branches.

This kaleidoscope image reminds me that when we help each other carry their cross we can tend the thorn piercings. We sometimes miss the beauty in our crosses as we resist their reality. The thorns here are placed on the delicate blue from the stained glass.

This color was only possible because of the sun shining through the window.

Beauty can shine through our crosses too.

Look for the traces of color as you carry your cross and follow him.