Daily Reflections ...

Paradox is an extraordinary thing. I love the words attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi, ‘It is in giving that we receive, in pardoning that we are pardoned, in dying (to self) that we are born into eternal life!’ Renouncing self and taking up your cross can sound so daunting. The reality is that it is a journey and as the Chinese philosopher Lao Tse said, ‘a journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step!’ So, this journey into Christ is a one step at a time journey.

The beautiful thing though is that as you turn from self to others, as you let go of your need to be right or to win, as you reach out in humility and forgive, as you ‘give without counting the cost’ (St Ignatius of Loyola) you experience an inner liberation. You become freer! You gain perspective and begin to truly know what is important.

My friend, Br Denis Hernon used to say to me, ‘Can you leave that which is essential and attend to what is important?’  What is important? It is about life and life to the full (John 10:10). Gone are the days where ‘renouncing self’ was all about self-flagellation or getting around with a sad look on your face. Renouncing self simply means the choice and the discipline to put Christ behind the steering wheel of your life!

And yes, it means taking up your cross. Every one of us has our particular cross; our burden, our struggle, our ‘feet of clay’. But it is often in and through our burden, cross and weakness that we do our best loving – if we have invited Jesus to get behind the wheel and steer!

by Br Damien Price cfc