When will the average Christian say Yes to the Cross they must carry?

When will the average Christian say Yes to the Cross they must carry?

We constantly hear the premise to carry our cross daily; as mentioned by Jesus who became the prime example of that.  Perhaps this meaning has left the thoughts of so many that it has become another term that has lost its call for most people.  

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Mt 16: 24 - 25).  Sometimes, or more often than not, this simple adherence to eternal life has become a condition that so many have pushed out of their effort to be like Christ.

Of course in today’s world of technology and a desire to accumulate wealth or notoriety leaves very little room to be like our Lord.  They believe we need to leave that for priests, nuns, or other ministers; but do not expect the average adult to place that burden on them when there is only so much time in a day to get the expectations of raising our children for sports activities and enjoy extra time for adult get-togethers that leaves the religious world to those who are holy Joes.  Who started all these catechism requirements anyway?  I know; it was our grandparents who seem to have lost any type of authority by passing on to children with headphones that block out words of wisdom.  As a senior citizen it is easy to recognize the belief that the next generation(s) feel that we have lived our lives with Holy aspirations; but leave us to our own actions or personal decisions.  God was for your age-group, but we have our own type of god they’ll say.   Sounds a lot like the challenge of apostasy has made its way into the pews and listening to words from non-believers is the pattern for today’s young families.

In fact, “in this one and only Church of God from its very beginnings there arose certain rifts, which the Apostle strongly censures as damnable.  But in subsequent centuries much more serious dissensions appeared and large communities became separated from full communion with the Catholic Church - for which, often enough, men of both sides were to blame.”  The ruptures that wound the unity of Christ’s Body - here we must distinguish heresy, apostasy, and schism - do not occur without human sin:  (CCC 817).

Where there are sins, there are also divisions, schisms, heresies, and disputes.  Where there is virtue, however, there also is harmony and unity, from which arise the one heart and soul of all believers.  (Foot note to CCC 817 from Origen).

Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it.  “Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.”  (CCC 2089).

 As noted before on this site, the numbers of fallen away Christians is overwhelming and the need for a renewal of the gospel is imminent.  Carrying our cross is the first attribute to find.    

Ralph B. Hathaway