“Lord Jesus, may life’s sufferings increase my humanity
so that I may joyfully embrace the divine life you give.”
Picture this story in the privacy of your minds eye. It starts out something like this….
A little girl about 4 years old is walking along a dusty dirt road with Jesus hand in hand. Around them there are crowds of people; some were selling goods, others buying goods, and others like them, were just walking along the dirt road to nowhere. The two were talking about the child’s troubles and how it was weighing her down. Jesus could feel her sadness and suggested that they rest at a bench ahead of them for a while to talk. He placed the little girl on his lap, cradling her as she continued to cry out to him. She said, “Lord, please take away this cross from me. I’ve always been faithful and ready to do your will whenever you’ve called on me in the past. Though I was weakened with every cross I carried, you blessed me with your grace and gave me a renewed sense of energy to carry on. But this time, the cross is too big for my small frame and its abrasive surfaces are piercing into my shoulder dragging me down with its heaviness.” Jesus took child into his arms and rested her head on his chest and said, “This cross was made especially for you. Only you alone can carry it. I promise that you will not be alone, and when you tumble I will carry the cross for you….”
With the confidence that Jesus gave her, the young child left the Lord and went about her road of life. Jesus helped her place the big wooden cross her shoulders; it was very evident that the cross was too big for her. Oh how the heaviness of it weighed her down, at first weakening her knees and causing them to buckle. Jesus helped her up. Then gently, he placed the cross upon her narrow, soft, child frame shoulders once more. Her face grimaced, showing her pain as the full weight of the wooden cross begin to bare its mass on her body. But with all her might she steadied her legs from shaking, and slowly trudged along while hunched over on a dusty lone road. The foot of the cross dragged behind her because it was much taller than she was.
Just then, a man and woman came up to Jesus. They looked frantic and were in tears. “Sir!” the woman asked as she tugged on the Lord’s robe. “We’ve lost our child. We haven’t seen her for days. My husband and I have been looking for her every where, but no one has seen her, and neither have we. Kind Sir, have you seen our little girl? She is about four years old, her face precious and kind, strong in heart and spirit, but she’s still just a child … our baby as a matter of fact. And we just want to find her.” The couple held on to each other’s hand tightly as the Lord place his hand on the husband’s back as if to console him and said, “Do not worry. Your little child is not lost. There she is, just beyond that tree. She is the one carrying that cross for me.” And as the child’s parents saw this, they began to weep even more. The woman fell to her knees and her husband bent down to hold her, “Lord,” they both pleaded, “let us carry the cross for you. Our child is too young, she will not make it. See, she’s already fallen and the cross is lying flat on top of her back. Oh how her fragile body must be tattered and torn by the cross’s weight.” But again Jesus said, “this cross was made just for her. No one else may carry it except for her. I’ve asked her to carry it for me, and she had the right to say no, but she accepted. For she wishes to be a witness to the people of her generation of my love for mankind and my Father’s love for mankind. And by emulating me in my life’s suffering on Earth, she has chosen to give testimony to my pain and my commitment to the human race that I will save them from damnation; for through the price of my crucifixion, man’s sins shall be erased from all records. So come the day when my Father calls that you’d be on that list to come home.”
Then before Jesus could finish his words, a large crowd of thousands swarmed in around him. They came from all directions and with their great numbers filled even the distance between the child and the Lord. They begged him to heal them from their disease and release them from their disparity. The crowd began to push and shove trying to get closer to Jesus so that may touch his cloak and be healed. Voices from all angles shouted out, “Jesus, please have mercy on me for…I have wronged you…I have leospardsy …I am blind…I am deft….” Between the shoving and pushing of the crowd, the little girl was torn away from Jesus’ grip. She began to get scared and cried out, “Jesus! Where are you?” and from far away you can hear another person’s voice shouting, “Young child, where are you?”
Eventually, the little girl grew tired of fighting the crowd and gave up. A woman from the crowd came to her and said, “Why are you sad? Go to him and he will heal you. No sin is too great for him to forgive. No matter is too hard for him to do for you. Look at me, a woman with many sins, yet he has opened his arms to me.” She kept repeating, “go on, go on…he is waiting for you” as she nudged the girl forward. Soon everyone else was nudging her forward saying, “Go on little one…” And as the crowd cheered the little girl on, she could feel a strong presence of the Holy Spirit working inside her. Then finally, there he was an image of a bright shinning light. Jesus kneeled down to the girl’s level and said with open arms, “Come to me my child. Your faith has forever healed you. Your burden is my burden and your tears are mine to wipe. The cross that you carry is a sacrifice you’ve made for all other sinners. Offer the sacrifice and you’re suffering up to me, and I will help you carry cross to our Father most high.”
So to you now I say, “don’t be afraid to turn back to the Lord and say, ‘Lord, here I am humbled and with sorrow. Give me your grace so that I may carry on….’” And in the background you’ll hear the crowd cheer you on “go to him…go to him”. Close your eyes…can’t you hear them? “Go to him, he is waiting for you.”
