By the Cross We Live
It strikes me a lot that while we follow Jesus and pledge our love and devotion to Him, we often choose to turn a blind eye and pretend that our life of asceticism does not exist nor is it needed. I was talking with a former aspirant, catching up and sharing past experiences when we came to the topic of discipline in the seminary. Nobody likes discipline. Nobody loves a disciplinarian, not until the fruits of discipline has matured in the far future. Our naiveté gets the best of us in running away from responsibility, asceticism and discipline.
The Christian life has never been shy from proclaiming that it is all about carrying one’s cross. The world has always been a world of comfort – a bliss that pretends pain should always be avoided. The visceral reality of life however will always bring us the truth. Pain, struggle, and discipline are all part of growth. While they are not enjoyable, they bear the sweetest fruits.
The Cross of Christ bears this message. Jesus proclaimed his passion and death even at the cost of losing followers. He is a stark contrast to the influencer and social media culture we have today that covers up the insecurities and imperfections of life for the illusion of beauty and an easy life. Unless we follow Him, that we also carry our daily cross, we will not taste the resurrection that comes after a life of asceticism. Glory comes at the cost of sacrifice.
A few days back I saw a post of an alumnus training his Bosconian son in football at 2:00 AM. Talk about dedication and love for the sport. We need more fathers like this who do not filter out the sacrifice needed to achieve results. Our crosses are not supposed to be polished and displayed. They are meant to be carried.
