Jesus tells His followers-- us-- that we need to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Mt 16: 24-28). This instruction comes right after Jesus begins to tell His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and be killed and on the third day raised to life. It is that prediction that causes Peter to dissent, telling Jesus that such things could never happen to Him. After putting Peter in his place ("get behind me, Satan...") Jesus gives this clmmand to His disciples-- deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me Interestingly Jesus had not mentioned crucifixion in His prediction about what would happen to Him-- only that He would "suffer many things"-- but it must have been on His mind, which may explain why He uses the metaphor of picking up a cross. Obviously this is not a literal instruction-- thanks goodness crucifixions have not been done in the West for 1500 years (a statement that is not true in some other places in the world). But it is a powerful metaphor. Crosses were heavy, and it was dificult to carry them, especially when one had dalready been tortured. While the Romans did their best to make people carry their crosses-- it was part of the punishment, after all-- I'm sure there were people who simply refused, or who lacked the strength. No matter, the Romans would find someone to help, and the execution would go on. So what's the point of carrying the cross? Why not just sit down and refuse to confront it? Why does Jesus tell us to carry our cross, rather than telling us to refuse to cooperate? Maybe it is because when you carry the cross, you haven't been beaten. You are in fact beating the cross. You haven't let the cross win. You are stronger than the cross. You are in a very real sense overcoming it. After all, the cross is there in any event. If you don't carry it, it will be carried for you and you will experience it. So why not be in control, as opposed to letting the cross control you? We all have crosses, which is why Jesus can use this metaphor so effectively. We can either carry them, and refuse to be mastered by them, or we can let them master us. What's your cross? Do you know what it is? If not, you might spend a little time considering that question. And if you know what it is, do you carry it? Do you do you best not to let it control your life, recognizing that all of us from time to time need help, and even fail, in our quest to carry our cross. Even Jesus needed help. So recognize your cross, pick it up and control it. Maybe you need help in doing that. Pray for the grace, the strength to do what it take to carry your cross. It will be there. It is only with your cross on your back that you can follow Jesus!