“Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.” –St Rose of Lima (CCC 618)
I found this quote studying for Christology in the catechism. There are many great theologians who have spoken about Christ, but if I want to preach the truth I start with the bible and the catechism. Getting back to the quote, I think it really has two meanings for our life: Christ’s big cross and our little crosses.
I go to confession every week, and there is a wonderful crucifix right beside the confessional screen. Oftentimes, I look more at it than the priest, my conscience exam, or the prayer card; sometimes I even grab hold of it. I am really confessing my sins to Christ, and he washed them away with his death on the cross. To think how with each confession, even if it is almost the same as last week, we can move up one wrung on the ladder to heaven. This is really what Christ’s big cross is; it is not something “out there,” but something we can climb each moment to get to heaven.
On a recent visit to a Franciscan convent, we walked a little ways to a nearby cliff. We got to the overlook and saw a beautiful mediaeval town below. We descended a narrow staircase down two stories, and came across a door of cast-iron bars opening to a miniscule cave. The cave was so small I could neither stand nor lie down, even sitting was awkward on the rough rocks with my head tilted forward, littering the center altar were various photos and surrounding it were well-aged frescos, but one stood out, “St Anthony of Padua came to this cave to do penance.”
Some may dream of a life of penance like that but few are called to it; our crosses are much smaller. Our little crosses come in two types: those we can’t escape and those we can choose.
In the seminary, there are some crosses we can’t avoid such as living in a small room, not having a nice sofa and TV to watch the game, and eating the same food as everyone else. These are crosses we can offer to Christ; instead of suffering them, we can live them with a smile.
We also always pick other crosses so we, as religious and priests, can participate in Christ’s salvation. Sitting up straight might not always be the most enjoyable, but it shows Christ’s dignity. Every meal is also a great opportunity for sacrifices, generally small ones are recommended like skipping salt, picking a flavor of jam other than our favorite, or taking extra broccoli; the tradition in the Legion is one of these sacrifices at every meal.
These sacrifices may seem really simple but St Therese of Lisieux used this type of simple crosses as the key to her holiness. In your life the sacrifices you need to make and choose to make are probably a little different but the motive is the same. If we are united in prayer and sacrifice, who knows how much we can do for the kingdom.
I like broccoli.
Thanks again Brother Matthew for that testimonial. somethin else i would add to your message is that we (I) oftentimes complain about little crosses we have to bear as if they were large heavy ones. One quick glance at a crucifix though should remind us that our crosses are often quite light compared to Jesus’ cross.
Thank you for this lovely reminder I particularly needed to hear today, Ash Wednesday. We miss seeing you ’round Cincinnati.
Jim, maybe I should have used Brussels sprouts instead of broccoli. As a kid, long before I understood the value of sacrifice, I remember eating them once. To avoid having to taste them, I figured I would swallow them whole but that resulted in mom performing the Heimlich maneuver on me.
On a more serious note, sacrifice at meals is inherently personal: some love sweets, others love beer or anything fried, many love coffee and a few mysteriously don’t. I am sure everyone can find something that they would prefer not to eat that is either healthier or equal to what they would prefer to eat.