“Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37–42. A Reflection for the Sunday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time.
When Jesus told his disciples to take up their crosses, he meant it literally. During the first three centuries of the faith, the Roman authorities persecuted some of the earliest disciples to the point of actual crucifixion. Tradition says the apostle Peter was crucified upside down, and the apostle Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross.
These Christians were the crucified, never the crucifiers.
Not many people face the likelihood of physical crucifixion, but we all have our daily crosses. I have mine, and you have yours.
People have enough hardships without anyone — especially Christians — piling on. Yet it happens frequently with pious excuses. “I’m just standing up for the truth. They needed to repent. That’s just the plain teaching if the Church.” Those usually sound more like mallets striking nails than mercifully spiritual counsel.
I believe people do their best to carry their crosses. The last thing any of us needs is more pressure with someone insisting, “Try harder! Do more! Get better!”
It’s like when baseball fans yell at a struggling pitcher, “Throw strikes!” Do you really think the pitcher doesn’t know that or isn’t trying? The pitcher needs help, direction, or even reassurance. That’s why the pitching coach or manager approaches the mound and gives guidance, instruction, or encouragement.
Christians should never be the ones nailing the hands and feet of anyone to a cross. If we’re focused on bearing our own crosses, we don’t have the interest, energy, or ability to nail others to theirs.
The only relationship Christians should have to other people’s crosses is to help carry them. “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Christians need to get out of the crucifying business and help others carry their theirs.
