The cross was not a surprise to Jesus. He knew what it meant to live under the oppression of the Roman Empire, which ruled by fear and violence. He saw the crosses that lined the roads of Galilee, where thousands of rebels were executed as a warning to anyone who dared to challenge the authority of Caesar. He heard the cries of the dying, the weeping of the mourning, the curses of the angry. He felt the pain of the oppressed, the despair of the hopeless, the hunger of the poor.
But Jesus did not let the cross deter him. He did not succumb to hatred, resentment, or rebellion. He sought to overcome evil with good. He did not preach a message of vengeance, but of forgiveness. He did not promise a worldly kingdom, but a heavenly one. He did not avoid the cross but embraced it.
For Jesus knew that the cross was not the end, but the beginning. He knew that the cross was not a defeat, but a victory. He knew that the cross was not a curse, but a blessing. He knew that the cross was not a sign of God’s absence, but of God’s presence. He knew that the cross was not a symbol of death, but of life.
Prayer
Lord God, we thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly bore the cross for our sake. We praise You for His courage, His compassion, and His obedience. We marvel at His love, His grace, and His power. We confess that we often fail to appreciate the magnitude of His sacrifice, the depth of His suffering, and the glory of His resurrection. Forgive us, Lord, for our indifference, our ingratitude, and our unfaithfulness.
Help us, Lord, to follow the example of Jesus, who did not let the cross deter Him from fulfilling Your will. Help us to overcome evil with good, to forgive those who hurt us, and to seek Your kingdom above all else. Help us to embrace the cross as a sign of Your presence, Your blessing, and Your life. Help us to trust in Your promises, to rely on Your strength, and to hope in Your victory.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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