“Never give in to the temptations of pessimism and retreat in on yourselves. Rely on the resources of your faith and your human capacities; strive to grow in the ability to collaborate, to take care of each other and the public good.” (Pope Benedict XVI, October 9, 2011)
Sometimes, we all just want to retreat to our “cave” and simply shut down. Perhaps it has been a painfully long day, you may have a terrible headache, negative things could be hitting you from all sides, etc… But, as Pope Benedict mentions above, it is precisely in these moments that we cannot “retreat in ourselves.” This is your cross. This is your opportunity to show Christ how much you really do love him. My favorite station in the “Way of the Cross” is when Jesus consoles the women. He has just fallen for the second time. He has a crown of thorns in his head, flies in his face, the open wounds on his back are festering, people are jeering and making fun of him,…and he stops for a moment to console the women! This is true Christian charity and nobility. This is what Christ wants from us!
