Ave Maria Meditations
” Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.” (Jn 14:27)
Jesus kissed and embraced His Cross for love of us because by His holy Cross He would become one with us in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the gift of Our Lord’s Passion. With Mary we unite ourselves with Jesus and offer to Him all our sufferings in mind and body, in heart and soul.
We are never given more than we can carry or bear, and as Simon helped Jesus carry His cross, so Jesus Himself helps us carry ours. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. All trials purify us and lead us into a deeper union with Jesus. We offer Jesus all our sufferings for the salvation of souls, even the sufferings we bring upon ourselves.
This is the triumph of the Cross: all suffering has lasting and redeeming value when offered to Jesus Who glorified all human suffering by His holy Cross! Three times He fell on His way to Calvary to teach us never to get discouraged, for here in the Blessed Sacrament He makes a divine success out of all our failure when we humbly surrender them to the redeeming love of His Sacred Heart.
Prayer: Jesus, during this mystery we embrace our cross for love of You who kissed and embraces Your Cross for love of us. With Your grace help us to fulfill our daily duties in life. We renew our baptismal vows and ask You to prepare our hearts for a worthy confession where You wash away our sins in Your blood. We beg you, Jesus, to pour out from Your Eucharistic Heat an abundance of strength and consolation upon all of the depressed and discouraged in the world, especially those who have fallen into despair and you are in most need of Your encouragement.
Fr. Martin Lucia
