Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
What is the message of the cross? St. Paul writes that it is “the power of God” for us who are being saved. The cross was the instrument of Jesus’ passion and death. After the Resurrection, it became the symbol of everlasting life for us who follow Christ. Now, we need to be painfully honest. Christians avoid the pain that is at the center of the cross. The message is continually watered down to avoid the harder elements that it entails. We are called to sacrifice with Christ as we walk in this life. It cannot be avoided. Pain and hardship are unavoidable in life.
A good analogy is spinning a flywheel. A flywheel is a heavy device that takes time to move into motion. It is difficult to spin. Once it is put into motion, it serves as a stable power source. A flywheel will keep a machine running as a power source even when the power runs out. The sacrifices we make in the name of Jesus’ cross are like spinning a heavy flywheel. They make no sense to us now and seem very heavy. Yet they give momentum to our spiritual lives, and when we have no strength left, the cross gives us new strength. It gives stability in our lives amidst chaos, and momentum when we seem floundered. We have the light of the cross, which is like a lamp that will not be extinguished until the Bridegroom arrives. Amen.
Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections