“God forbid that I should boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” - Galatians 6:14
Reflection:
St Paul tells us the only thing he would boast of is the Cross of Christ, Christ’s sacrifice of unconditional love for all humanity - our Salvation. What do we boast of or take pride in? Do we ‘put ourselves first’ in an unhealthy way (at all costs) disregarding Christ and everyone around us? Unfortunately our society preaches this kind of superiority.
“We pick up our Cross when we forsake our ego. To society we may seem weak, but this ‘patience of the Saints’ is an incredible strength unmatched by the world, and which alone has and can change the world.”(1)
St Paul says, “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”(2) Every talent, every ability, every breath we take, our very existence, are gifts from God.
When we recognize that all of our accomplishments are due to the gifts and capabilities God has given us, how could we boast of anything as if it is solely our own doing, rather than thank God for His power and mercy in the sacrifice of the Cross?
Boasting in the Cross is prioritizing, thinking, and acting in humility and unconditional love for everyone. When we boast in the Cross and the Cross only, we experience the joy(3) of the Resurrection in our lives daily.
We have trouble finding authentic joy in our lives because we do not have the Resurrection of Christ in our hearts. We do not have the Resurrection of Christ, because we do not have the Cross of Christ. We do not have the Cross of Christ, because we do not want the responsibility of the Cross, the responsibility of the Faith.(4) The responsibility and accountability of loving God and neighbor while keeping a healthy self-worth, does not disregard others.
When St Paul says the world is crucified to him and he to the world, he means that he takes on the pain of those around him in empathy(5), and sacrifices himself for God and neighbor. We are to do as Christ did for us, for everyone - those who love us and those who hate us.
Let us boast in the unconditional sacrifice of the Cross of Christ by living a humble loving way uniting ourselves with Christ, so that we may experience the freedom of authentic joy and peace of the Resurrection both in this life and the life to come, Amen.
Resources:
1) Vassilios Papavassiliou, Meditations for the 12 Great Feasts, pg 26.
3) “The joy felt when one receives is a human joy. However, the joy felt when one gives is a divine joy." -St Paisios the Athonite, Passions and Virtues, Volume V. pg 305
4) Archimandrite Georgios, Monastery of Gregoriou Mt Athos, Ομιλίες σε Ακίνητες Δεσποτικές και Θεομητορικές Εορτές (των ετών 1981-1991) Α' (Άδετο) , Pg 28
5) Empathy vs Sympathy YouTube Video
