Children of Mary, Mother of Christian Charity:
In the Cross lies salvation.
In the Cross lies life.
In the Cross lies protection from your enemies.
In the Cross lies eternal happiness.
In the Cross lie joy, the perfection of virtues, and the crowning of Holiness.
Therefore, carry your cross, and you will attain eternal life.
The cross is the true source of life; there is no path to Heaven for those who do not carry it. There is no higher or safer path than the way of the cross.
The cross is present everywhere, at all times, and as Christians you cannot flee from it, for it will always stand before you no matter where you go.
Carrying your cross with regret and groaning will make it heavier, and the consequences will grow ever greater.
It is not in human nature to love carrying one’s cross, but if you place all your trust in God, the strength to carry it will be given to you from above.
If there were a better and more useful way than the suffering of the cross, Jesus Christ would have taught it to us. For He exhorted His disciples to follow Him on the condition that they accept to carry their crosses.
Did He not say: IF ANYONE WANTS TO FOLLOW ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, AND FOLLOW ME?
Padre Pio.