I. Jesus gives us our own cross.
Mt. 16: 24. Then Jesus said to his disciples, if anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Lk. 9: 23. If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Lk. 14: 27. And he who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Mt. 10: 38. He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
II. God can only give us good things.
Mt. 7: 11 Therefore, if you, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.
Rom. 8: 28. Now we know that for those who love God all things work together unto good.
III. The cross is for our good.
Gal 6: 14. God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
Rom. 6: 6. For we know that our old self has been crucified with him, in order that the body of sin may be destroyed, that we may longer be slaves to sin.
Col 1: 24. I rejoice now in the sufferings I bear for your sake.
1 Cor. 2: 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
IV. To say that the cross is good and comes from God sounds like nonsense.
1 Cor. 1: 18 For the doctrine of the cross, to them that perish, is foolishness, but to them that are saved, that is you, it is the power of God.
1 Cor. 2: 23 We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness.
Posted 10/04/2015 Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
