Thankful for Your Cross

As we continue our focus on the Cross of Christ this week, it is important to also focus on our cross. While Christ picked up His Cross for us, we also must take up our cross for Him and for our salvation. The Cross, His and ours, brings life for those who believe.

Brethren, now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ. For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me. For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you.

Colossians 1:24-29, 2:1

Today’s reading is chosen by the Church in honor of Saint Nikitas the Great Martyr. He was captured and tortured for his faith in Christ at a time when the tide was changing for Christians. Peace was starting to make progress, but the world fights hard against peace.

Every time we read another story about a martyr, the Church inspires us to stay the course and endure the suffering. This is the point for Saint Paul today. He is thankful and even rejoices in his suffering because it helps strengthen the faith of others.

You may not know, or you may not really pay much attention, but terms in the Church are rarely coincidental. Saint Nikitas is called a martyr, the Greek word for ‘witness’ because his faith is a witness for us to be committed. He is a witness to the world that God is real.

The martyrs often were thankful for their suffering because it meant their faith was strong enough that Christ trusted them with torture. Christ knew, like He knows in our case, what they were capable of enduring.

When Christ asks us to take up our cross, He already knows how much we can handle. He knows our breaking point. We can trust Christ would never hand us a cross we couldn’t endure through faith in Him. You see, the cross requires endurance and faith. We must have both.

If Christ has placed a cross in your life, be thankful rather than resentful. Be thankful that He trusts you enough to carry your cross with faith in Him and as a witness to those around you that He is real. Be thankful Christ has given you the chance to show Him your love.

As Christian we cannot live without struggle. This isn’t because God likes to watch us suffer. He most certainly does not like us to suffer. We suffer because the world is constantly fighting against faith and against God. Since we believe in God, we take the brunt of the fight.

Think of your cross like water in a pool. You cannot spend the day in the pool without getting wet. Water brings life but it also brings death. Too much water and we drown. Not enough water and we wither away.

We are thankful for the water that quenches our thirst. The next time you ‘feel’ your cross is getting too heavy, instead of throwing it away, take sip from it refreshing water, and be thankful God has placed such great trust in your faith.