Musings: Sacrifice

Awhile back when I was reading a topic from Life of Christ by the late Fulton Sheen, I came across a passage which made quite an impression on me. In that particular subtopic, the author focused on the purpose of Christ’s coming – that is, to suffer, die and rise again.

Any Christian would agree that is the essence of Jesus' mission. Religious artists occasionally base their pieces on one or more of its elements. One of Hillsong’s older works For All You’ve Done included all the three elements: You lived, You died, You rose again on high.

No one likes to talk about suffering. I mentioned before in a post that humans are creatures of comfort. As the Fulton Sheen put it, we welcome the glorified, but shun the suffering Christ. Additionally, people tend to avoid the subject of sacrifice, since real sincere sacrifice entails suffering on its part.

Still, there is no dispute that we all have to have sacrifice in our lives. One would have to give up something in order to gain another. An employee sacrifices his/her time for money. Students grind their notes and exercises wee hours into the night in hopes of getting good results. Rather, the question is the matter of which we would sacrifice.

Which brings me to the point of my rumination. Christ made it clear that “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). At this point in time however, I am aware of the sacrifice and cross bearing I am going through for His sake – which is to say, practically nil. Could be the mark of how blessed I am. Or that my daily prayers “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” are answered. However, it does not remove this uneasiness I feel.

None of the saints I have come across have not felt the pinch of sacrifice and suffering. Moses, David, Elijah, Peter, John, Paul, Therese, Mother Teresa, John Paul II…and here I am, all comfy with my life at university in front of a computer and countless other conveniences, unless you count losing at games and the postponement of my Masters application. Does not sound remarkably profound if you ask me.

Is it not disquieting? Christ is the only doorway to salvation. We cannot follow Him unless we are willing to sacrifice and take up our cross. Put it another way, unless we are willing to sacrifice for His sake, we will not be able to enter His Kingdom. Where does that leave us then? Catholics might suggest Purgatory. But even so, it is written:

“Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble – each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed through fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” 

(1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

Mark the words, “If any man’s work.” But if we have not even started on the cross, what work did we do? It will neither be gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay or stubble – it will be nothing. Nothing will be burned up, and we will not suffer loss, for we ourselves are lost. Is it not then more likely then, to assume that those who did not sacrifice and take up their cross are destined down the road of Hell?

Perhaps it is really time for me to take some time to ponder earnestly on what my cross is to be, and the strength to confront it when it is revealed to me – especially since this is the season of Lent.

RFG always.