CARRY THE CROSS OF CHRIST IN YOUR HEART

It becomes more and more apparent that He loves us so much when we share in His sufferings. The cross of Christ we carry in our hearts. We look at His adorable wounds, His side wide open, gaping open, and we know truly He held nothing back. The blood poured out from all of the wounds in His body. He asks us to give our all, to love when we are laughed at and knocked to the ground, to love always, to not close up and protect ourselves. He did not close up the wounds. He walked on with the cross on His back. No one stitched Him up. His arms were occupied with the cross. He bled on the ground. Then, He stretched out His arms and hung on the cross with open wounds.

He asks us to share in His life, death, and Resurrection. We carry forever with us the cross of Christ in our heart. In our sufferings, we share in His Passion. In our rejection, we know the rejection He suffered in His Heart.

He loves us much when He allows us to share in this suffering. It is in this suffering and in our joys, in our love shared with one another, that we know our precious Lord. To suffer is a great gift from Him. Let us carry His cross in our hearts with greatest joy, for it is a gift from Him. It is in the cross that we share more fully in His life.

St. Paul says: "A man never hates his own body, but he feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church, because we are parts of his Body." (Ep. 5:29-30) We eat His Body, we drink His Blood. We are the Body of Christ. He gives us Himself to eat - we are His Body. How much more intimate that we are His Body!

From the beginning, we were conceived in our Mother's womb - the Father having a unique plan for us. I am not to be anxious. Mary and Jesus always were at peace, always Their life in order, not talkative, not boastful, living a quiet life for 30 years. I must have peace and tranquility at all times. The Father's plan is harmonious. They will assist me in any way. I do not need to be anxious or loose my trust in Him. I am as the baby at the breast. I am living to serve, to be a mother, a wife, to live in a family, to be as the Father wants me to be. His way is peace.

Mary, my model, was prudent and just, calm, a woman of few words. This is God's work; I serve. I live in Him. I am the baby; He is the Almighty God. I am one in Him. He is all powerful; I am a servant. When my life becomes unmanageable, I am doing my will - His will is peace and joy.

Spirit of God, take charge of my life to order it. I lack the virtues needed to be more like my model, Mary. Spirit, work in her womb to transform me into the image of my Savior. I want, I long, for closer union with God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is in this transformation, I will unite more closely with my beloved Father. I am Yours. I give myself unreservedly to You to do with as You want.

I surrender and give my all to Thee. Jesus died on the cross and gave His all. I unite with this sacrifice to the Father, in the Holy Spirit, and beg for this transformation in the adorable heart of Mary, my Mother. Everything I do, I want to do united to the Holy Spirit with the divine wisdom He lets me share.

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Copyright © 1997 Shepherds of Christ Ministries
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. For information contact Shepherds of Christ Publications
First Printing: September, 1997