This reflection is based upon my Homily offered on the CTV Sunday Mass on Sunday July 2, 2017 (13th Sunday in Ordinary Time & Matthew 10:37-42)

In today’s Gospel we hear the Words of Jesus: “whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me”.  These are powerful words and words it might be helpful for us to take a few moments to stop and reflect upon.  Do we live these words through and to the end, or do we live them to a point?  Are we willing to pick up our cross but then put it down again when the price seems too much or too high?  Do we follow Jesus up to a point… following Him to the Cross but not up on the Cross? Do we say, if even subconsciously “I will carry a cross but I won’t be crucified upon it?”  My friends, if we ask ourselves these questions and fall short – as if you’re anything like me you might do…

We can almost say that we are not truly followers of Christ, just “mere admirers”.    Our Gospel today calls all of us to not only reflect upon this but also to go deeper if we can.  I would think that many of us can relate to being “just an admirer” at times in our lives – when our commitment to Jesus is tested to the breaking point.  There are times in our lives when the full impact of Jesus’ words hit home for us though, with frightening force.

When hardship or tragedy strikes us in our lives; we are tempted to not want that cross, to not want to pick it up and follow Jesus as He asks us to; tempted to turn away from Jesus and no longer follow in His footsteps as we’re called to.  It’s hard for those of us who have loved someone to pick up our cross and follow Jesus when we have been rejected… cast aside… betrayed by someone we love deeply.  It’s hard for those of us who are elderly to pick up our cross and follow Jesus when we have been forcefully put into a senior’s home or nursing home.  It’s hard for spouses to pick up their cross and follow Jesus when the other spouse travels a lot for work and they are left lonely… isolated and taking care of the children.  It’s hard for us to follow Jesus when we have been diagnosed with cancer or some other life-altering disease and find our lives dramatically changed forever.

What do those among us who suffer greatly do when the cross has been thrust upon them; and especially when that cross seems to exceed our ability to carry it?  When we find ourselves with such a cross, these are the times we especially need to remind ourselves that there were moments in the Life of Jesus Himself, when His Cross exceeded His strength to carry it and when that time came; He had to accept the help of a stranger; Simon of Cyrene.  The Son of God, the Savior of the World had to admit Himself weak and lacking in the strength to carry His cross on His own.

Whom do we reach out to, when our burdens seem too great?  Are we humble enough to admit we need help and ask for it?  We reach out to Jesus first.  He knows and can identify with what we’re going through better than anyone can.

We can count on His strength.

We also need to reach out to others in our lives as well; those who are vulnerable like us, professionals, friends and family.  Our Gospel today is an invitation for each of us to stop and ponder; to ask ourselves the humbling questions: are there times in my life when it impossible for me to pick up my cross and follow Jesus?  If our answer is in any way ‘yes’ – then we are given another challenge today.  We are challenged to do what Jesus did when His Cross became too heavy to bear and be humble enough to admit it; reaching out to those who want to help us, but it also challenges us to see things through the eyes of Simon of Cyrene too for others.  To be there and be alert for the time when someone else needs our help in carrying their cross.

We all pay it forward.

We all must help one another so that others are there to help us in our own time of trial too.  May God bless you.