St. Theresa LIFE TEEN - Carrying the Cross Window

Carrying The Cross Window

"Then Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified. They took Jesus and led Him away. And bearing the cross for Himself, He went forth to the place called 'The Skull'." (Jn 19:16-17)

Jesus died by crucifixion; thus the Cross became the instrument of redemption and it has become the symbol of salvation to all Christians. Christ chose suffering and death freely to show us the seriousness of sin. He did not have to suffer and die, but He freely went through this humiliation to show us the depth of His love for each one of us. A genuine awareness of what Christ suffered should make us anxious to avoid sin.

Christ's suffering and death show us why God allows us to suffer. We cannot understand fully the "why" of pain, but God asks us to trust Him. Why innocent people suffer will only be fully answered at Judgment after death. Christ has shown us that suffering has a great power to spread love in the world. The follower of Christ must suffer: "He who will not carry his cross and follow Me, cannot be my disciple." (Lk 14:17)

As Christ carried His cross, so must we carry our cross. Every time we make the Sign of the Cross, pray the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary or gaze on a Crucifix, we are reminded of the Lord's suffering for us and our need to unite our sufferings with His.

The next window.

Last updated on Saturday, May 14, 2005

The Vatican

Diocese of Phoenix

College LIFE

ALIVE!

LifeTeen.org