THE SECOND STATION: JESUS ACCEPTS THE CROSS

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23) 

When Jesus accepted his cross, he was not just accepting a heavy burden; the cross meant death — a painful, humiliating, tortuous death. And to carry the cross also meant that he would be enduring a lonely journey to the place of execution, all the while being subjected to ridicule and rejection by the people he came to save. The cheers of “Hosannas” that had welcomed him into Jerusalem were replaced with jeers of “Crucify him!” Yet, through it all, Jesus willingly accepted his cross along with intense suffering and an agonizing death to save humanity, including those who were responsible for his death. He has shown us unconditional, sacrificial love even though we do not deserve it.

Sometimes when we face our own crosses, we want to run away or perhaps curse life and call it unfair. We get angry with God. However, Jesus reminds us that we do not bear our crosses alone; Jesus bore his cross and now he walks with us to help us bear our own crosses. He bore his cross out of love for us, so now we can choose to bear our crosses out of love for him in return. When we unite our sufferings with those of Christ, we know that with Christ, the cross can lead to glory.