Jesus said, “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”- St. Matthew 10:37, 38
Our Lord asks us plainly to consider who or what takes first place in our life. There is no doubt that God has put us first in His own thoughts and concern. God loved us first and the love He asks of us in return should be a response to His kindness and mercy towards us. Even while we were caught up in our own sinful pride and rebellion, God chose to give us His own Son Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for us, to set us free from enslavement to sin and death.
Because of the great love God shows to us, so He asks us to return some measure of love to Him. Loving Jesus means that we are to follow Him, and if we are to follow Jesus, we must keep Him first in our lives, and put self aside.
He makes it clear exactly how we put Him first: it is by taking up our cross. To take up our cross means to be prepared to face sacrifice, suffering, and even death out of loyalty to Jesus Christ. It means to be ready to endure the worst that can be done to us – if that be required – for the sake of being true to Him.
And the taking up of the cross is a voluntary thing. It isn’t something that is thrust upon us by surprise, but it is something we choose. Part of Christian discipleship is to choose willingly the cross which has been prepared for us. As Christ chose us, so we must choose Him, and by putting Him first before everything and everyone else, He promises the blessing of eternal life with Him.
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Painting: "Carrying the Cross" by Romke Hostrea