Carrying the Unpretentious Cross
“One cannot desire freedom from the Cross when one is especially chosen for the Cross.” - St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross honors the Cross of Christ. In it, we remember the rich history — things like the astounding story of St. Helena’s discovery of the Cross is in 326 A.D., the dedication of the Holy Sepulcher by Constantine, and of course, the restoration of the Cross to Jerusalem on September 14, 629 A.D. But now, as we celebrate this day, we also call to mind the triumph of the Cross of Christ — conquering death and liberating us from sin.
“It is in loving the cross that we find true peace, not running from it.” - St. John Vianney
Childlike Faith
As I sat down to pen this piece, historical bullet points buzzing around my cranium and random notes scattered on a piece of paper, I was interrupted by the voice of my daughter singing quite loudly: “O Jesus, I don’t want you to die on the Cross. O, Mary, I don’t want Jesus to die on the Cross.”
Her tone was remarkably somber for a toddler and the lyrics definitely stopped me in my tracks. I put down my work and listened. Her words oscillated between the sorrow of Calvary and the intense love Christ has for us. Of course, all articulated with the straightforward simplicity of a little one. “But Jesus loves me sooo much!”
It prompted me to reflect on many of our conversations surrounding the art within our home. Her particular fascination with the crucifixes that adorn our house always comes back to these two points: the sadness that Jesus is on the Cross and the recognition that it is an act of unfathomable love. In her own little song, she seemed to echo the words of St. Maximilian Kolbe: “the Cross is the school of love.” What a gift that these little ones can so easily articulate what I so easily lose sight of.
Everyday Crosses
In our everyday lives, Christ offers the Cross to us. But sometimes, it’s not the cross we want or expect. Instead, we may find the cross of monotony, the cross of pent-up frustrations, the cross of interruptions and annoyances, and clashing temperaments awaiting us. And in their smallness, they feel so heavy— so tedious. But as Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen notes in Divine Intimacy, it is in these seemingly insignificant sufferings we find the cross that “Jesus offers us daily, inviting us to carry it after Him—an unpretentious cross, which does not require great heroism, but which does demand that we repeat our Fiat every day, meekly bowing our shoulders to carry its weight with generosity and love.” It is the smallness, the monotony, that elicits humility as we learn what it means to truly die to self. Not just surrendering those colossal moments, but all the little ones too. And as we learn to surrender the little moments, our hearts become trained in love — dying to our own whims and comforts, and offering the gift of ourselves. Just as Christ, from the cross, offered gifts.
Our sufferings are called a “cross” because the Cross is the means of salvation. As Father Gabriel further reminds us, our sufferings are not meant to be “sterile,” rather they are meant to elevate and sanctify our souls. Suffering, therefore, is transformed into the cross, the instrument of salvation. Our daily headaches are not for naught; they are the precious opportunities gifted to us. Moments where we can surrender to Christ, console His heart, and help Him carry the cross on the way to Calvary. They are the notes with which we compose our own songs of thanksgiving, consolation, and learn the beat of love — just as a little child seeking to glorify her King in all things.
Ann Burns is the founder of The Feminine Project, an organization dedicated to restoring the joy of womanhood. She is a writer and speaker, and strives to uphold what is truly good and beautiful. Most of all, she is a wife and mother, and loves to share the joy in living each day well.