Is God’s Cross Really Light?

Let’s be honest about this. Do we really think that our crosses are light?

Whenever we read this Bible verse, do we nod our heads in agreement?

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NRSVCE)

If I would be honest about it, I have to admit that it’s not always the case with me. To tell you the truth, there are times when I felt that my burden was heavy. In fact, it even gets to the point when it seems too heavy for me to bear.

But if I were to continue to believe in the Bible and what Jesus says, I must reconcile my Christian beliefs with my personal thoughts and feelings.

Jesus couldn’t be lying when He said that. It could only mean that it’s true. Why then do I sometimes feel as though it’s not?

As I tried to uncover the source of my suffering, I have realized many things. First of all, I learned that there are crosses I’ve been carrying that weren’t for me all along.

Have you discovered something like that? That many of your burdens were not the kind of burdens God wanted you to carry?

Like me, you may have carried hurts, resentments or needless anxieties. Or you may have tried to carry another person’s cross!

It’s not that we shouldn’t help each other in our troubles in life. But there are crosses that were not meant for us to bear. They were meant for other people who could grow and learn and become stronger by carrying them.

Another thing that I have learned is that some of our burdens become too heavy to bear because we don’t surrender them to God. We don’t seek His assistance in carrying them.

If only we have lifted them up to God, He could have given us sufficient grace to bear them. In that way, no matter how heavy they seem to be, they become light.

How much of your crosses were never meant for you to carry? How much of your burdens were never meant for you to carry alone?

Jesus took upon Himself the worst of our sins and shortcomings. He carried our crosses long before we were even born!

If we could only see that we are never alone even in our worst days, we’d find out that even the crosses God sends our way are but tokens of His love for us.

What else but our crosses remind us of God’s incomparable suffering for our sake? And what else but our burdens would encourage us to seek God’s strength so that we could carry them?

At the end of our lives, we will realize how much of our crosses have truly been blessings in disguise.

How light then, and how sweet would our crosses be! When such crosses bring us closer, Lord to Thee!

Chiara Petrillo, a Servant of God who fought against cancer to save the child in her womb was once asked by her husband if the cross she carried was truly light:

“Chiara,” he asked, “is this yoke, this cross, really sweet, as Jesus said?” And Chiara, smiling and turning her glance from the tabernacle to her husband, said in a weak voice: “Yes, Enrico, it is very sweet.” Truly Jesus had not deceived them. They were on the right course.

(Chiara Corbella Petrillo: A Witness to Joy)

“The glory of heaven consists in seeing and loving God face-to-face… She shall see that all the tribulations, the poverty, infirmities, and persecutions, which she regards as misfortunes, have all proceeded from love, and have been the means employed by divine providence to bring her to glory.”
– St. Alphonsus

You may also want to download my e-book “Carried by Christ’s Compassion”.

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