Talking Tuesday: Bearing Our Crosses

I'll post this without much commentary, as I think Fr. Matthew's sermon speaks well enough for itself, but what I do want to say is that like Fr. Andrew Damick, Fr. Matthew's death has caused me to think more deeply about the sort of person I am, to become more aware of my limitations and pain, my weaknesses, to try better to understand the limitations of those around me, to really consider what it is to show love to others as Christ loves me.  It is not a task for the faint-hearted.

"Now all of us here today have weaknesses, profound limitations, of which we may or may not be aware. All of us have encountered crosses in life, some of them very painful; crosses which perhaps we did not choose – crosses which we are probably still learning how to bear with thanksgiving. And further, each of us here – every baptized man, woman and child – has been called by God. He has called us to be sharers in Christ’s “royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9): to make the whole of our lives – our work, our rest and play, and all of our relationships – a living sacrifice to God (Rom. l12:1).

This is a high calling, an arduous task. Yet I suggest we can make a start today by beginning, not with our strengths, but with our weaknesses. If we can look realistically at our own deep limitations – the ways which we so often fail in bearing our own crosses – then perhaps we can begin to approach others with that gentleness which – as one of the Desert Fathers said – comes of remembering that “each and every person we meet is engaged in a deep and bitter struggle.” Then we can begin to see the wounds which we have received in life for what they truly are: a way in which the Lord is preparing us to bring healing to others. We can begin to exercise the priestly virtue of compassion.As in the Holy Eucharist itself, our very brokenness can become the opening through which life may be shared with others. Then our crosses truly become the Holy Cross. By coming to terms with our own weakness, by showing gentleness towards the weaknesses of others, we can begin to make our whole life a sacrifice: a priestly offering to God, through Jesus Christ our great High Priest."

~Fr. Matthew Baker, Sermon for the Sunday of the Cross, delivered at St. Tikhon's Seminary, 2007 or 2008

May God have mercy on us all in our weakness, in our limitations, in our burdens and pain.  May He lift us up, carry us in our weakness, show us how to love, how to sacrifice ourselves again and again without resentment, how to bring healing to ourselves and those around us.