Take Up Your Cross: Choose Life

~~~Our Lady of Lourdes~~~

~~~ Deuteronomy 30:15-20 ~~~ Psalm 1 ~~~ Luke 9:22-25 ~~~

...deny himself

and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Jesus gives us the prescription for his followers.

It is something we must do each day.

It is not something we do a single time.

It is not something we put away in the drawer for later.

Every day we must 'take up our cross'.

Some days our crosses may be greater than other days.

What is importance is that we pick them up and take them with us.

We join more completely with Jesus 

when we can joyfully take up our crosses.

Our crosses can also be a reminder to choose life.

Moses said to the people:

“Today I have set before you

life and prosperity, death and doom.

If we do not choose life we will not have

 the strength to carry our crosses.

Choosing life means we choose Jesus...

when we choose Jesus we also choose to pick our personal cross.

Jesus shows us how to do this...

carrying ones cross is not easy but may bring 

special graces into our heart.

In the wisdom of the church today as we begin Lent

we also commemorate the 

Blessed Mother's appearance at Lourdes.

Today we reflect on the healing water at Lourdes.

Mary appeared here...she continues to bless 

the waters of Lourdes with healing powers.

Those who are sick are very aware of the cross they bear...

they are very aware of the admonition to choose life.

Perhaps the life we must choose is eternal life in heaven.

Much of the time we can only see life as here on Earth,

but our eternal life is much more important.

Our physical life is only a blip on the radar of eternity.

Choosing life is parallel to picking up our cross.

Some people find a better life when they are carrying their cross.

The Blessed Mother knows about our crosses.

She is nearby to intercede on your behalf.

She will help you carry your cross;

while she was not allowed to help her son, Jesus to carry his.

We may not be able to visit the healing water of Lourdes,

but we can pray for those who are in need of healing.

Our Lady of Lourdes,

pray for us.

Choose life...

cling to the Lord;

you will be blessed.

~~~Peace~~~