“Christianity shouldn’t be hard.”

            As we enter into Lent, I was reminded of a conversation from several years ago in which a woman said to me, “Christianity shouldn’t be hard.”  The statement surprised me, and I considered asking her if she had looked at a crucifix lately.  Or if she had remembered Jesus’ words, “…if anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) and “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”(John 15:20). 

            We live in a world that has in a certain sense “sanitized” Christianity.  I’m chagrined when I see our celebrities wearing large gold or silver crosses, but without any idea of what the Cross means or the suffering it entailed.  The Cross was the most horrific form of death they knew at the time.  And yet, Jesus took it upon Himself out of love for us.   When we look at a Cross we are called to see the fullness of sacrificial love, indeed the perfect model of what total love looks like.  And we see that such love requires imitation and a response.   Let me give an example:  

·       -On March 2^nd 2011, Shabaz Bhatti, 42 years old and the only Christian member of Pakistan’s cabinet, was murdered.  He was an outspoken advocate for religious freedom, especially for the persecuted Christian minority in Pakistan.  He had received numerous death threats over the years from extremist Muslims, trying to silence him.  In 2008, he gave a book-length interview in which he explained why he continued to speak out for the Christian minority, “I want that my life, my character, my actions speak for me and indicate that I am following Jesus Christ….Until I live, until my last breath, I will continue to serve Jesus, to serve the poor humanity, the suffering humanity, the Christians, the needy, the poor.”  He continued, “When I see that Jesus Christ sacrificed His everything and our Lord sent His Son for our redemption and salvation, I ask myself how I can follow that path of the Calvary.  And our Lord said:  ‘Come to me, hold your cross, and follow the path’.”    

As we journey through Lent toward the Cross and the Resurrection, we do well to be inspired by such courageous and faithful witness.  And we can pray for all those, ourselves included, who daily take up their cross, knowing full well that Christianity “is hard”, but through Jesus’ victorious resurrection---completely worth it.  

“Lord and Saviour, You have told us that we too must accept crucifixion if we are to accept resurrection with You.  Help us to rejoice in the sufferings that come with the fulfillment of our daily duties, seeing in them the royal road of the cross to the resurrection.”-From: The Way of the Cross-Prayer for the 11^th Station. 

God bless you!

            Phil Lawson, MTS

            Pastoral Associate