Intimacy with the Cross by Fr. Ben Bradshaw
(Received in email)
An aspect of authentic intimacy is intimacy with the Cross of Christ in uniting our own sufferings with his. As Blessed John Paul II has noted on a number of occasions, when we do this we:
1.) Come into contact with a part of ourselves that we never knew existed.
2.) We come into contact with a part of ourselves that would have remained dormant or unutilized, namely courage and character.
3.) We assist others in their own healing and growth in a more profound and intimate way, as well, because we have “been there”.
The beauty in this, of course, being that almost always in assisting others in their suffering, we are likewise healed as a spiritual byproduct of these efforts and empathy.
The Lenten journey of uniting our suffering to that of the Cross of Jesus Christ is often a process, not just a choice, but it is a process that completely transforms us into better men and women. Grace is indeed amazing.
Access entire article: