Exhaling

Then (Pilate) handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha.
John 19: 16-17

We pray:
Lord Jesus, the cross is the instrument of the most shameful execution, but You embrace it eagerly as the key that will open the floodgates of grace and the fullness of life to all. The rough beam burns deeply into Your wounded shoulders, the darkness of sin and rejection weighing heavily on Your generous Heart. You are already near death, barely resembling the charismatic rabbi so recently speaking with authority, healing the broken, and forgiving sins. But You choose this way freely: No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. (Jn 10) And this is the definition of true gift: the value of a gift is not in what we allow to be taken from us, but in what we freely give.

You told us in advance the way we must follow – we must take up our own cross and follow You (Mk 8:34). Of course, anyone carrying a cross was carrying it to death. We must follow You to the end, and embrace our daily deaths so that we can rise to new life in You. 

All:

Lord, we often place limits or conditions on what we will give or do for You. But if we will have life and have it to the full, we must give all and offer ourselves completely to You. We must be willing to pour ourselves out for others, to walk the way of the cross with You.Help us to say YES to Your way, to the crosses You ask us to carry, to be heedless of the thorns and splinters we will encounter as we embrace Your will for us each day.Give us the grace to fully and freely embrace the cross of our own immolation and carry it to the end, knowing that You have gone before us and carry it with us. 

May Your embrace of the cross inspire us to do the will of the Father as He wants it done, so that we are doing God’s work, not works for God.