There Is Beauty In This Cross

I am a sucker for beauty... And I would like to think I'm pretty darn good at recognizing it, so why didn't I see the beauty in my SSA? Why did it take me so long to let the Lord show me what he could do with it? Why didn't I let other people help me with it? Why did I use my SSA to build a wall between me and the Lord? These are all questions I frequently ask myself when the burden seems light... It's really hard to ask those same questions when the devil seems to be whispering that I am not enough or that I am too much or that I am simply unlovable or too beyond repair that anyone in their right mind wouldn't dream of wasting time trying to help me. Believe it or not, those moments are filled with beauty that is almost invisible to the human eye. Those moments of vulnerability to the Lord are key for spiritual growth. Those moments in which we really call on the Lord, they are the worst and also the best. They're the worst because we are totally not used to feeling so helpless, and they're the best because they draw us closer to the Lord than we were before we were hurting. Isn't that beautiful??? Isn't it beautiful that we have a father who wants nothing more than to be there in those times of immense pain or endless need or pure joy? Yesterday, I was at mass and saw something extremely beautiful. There was this family at the end of the communion line and they had made it over to the Blood of Christ. There was only one person ministering to them, and the family had many small children who were receiving. One of the other Eucharistic ministers saw the family and rushed over to help, making sure that every little child received the Lord. The whole situation was made even more adorable by the fact that the minister was an older man, and he had the biggest smile on his face as he was handing the chalice to each child. I'm not gonna lie, I actually teared up as I was witnessing this happen. I realized after Mass, when I had time to process everything, that I teared up because God was showing me something through that situation, something beautiful. He was showing me the beauty of his love. He was physically showing me how joyful he is when we bring ourselves before him. He was showing me the urgency he feels in his love for us. When I say that the old man rushed to those children, I mean that he was practically running. No lie. In human terms, God literally runs to us with a massive grin on his face when we bring our needs, pains, or sorrows to him. I know for myself that this cross is really hard to bear sometimes, but if you can, picture God running to you to hold you, cherish you, and comfort you. That is what makes this cross beautiful. The thought of God loving me through it is what makes me willing to bear it. When the devil starts whispering to you, immediately call on the Father, and I promise you he'll be there. Isn't that beautiful? AMDG