{"id":623,"date":"2018-08-28T18:27:48","date_gmt":"2018-08-28T23:27:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/myallaboutyou.com\/2018\/08\/28\/loving-the-cross\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T16:46:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T21:46:31","slug":"loving-the-cross","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2018\/08\/28\/loving-the-cross\/","title":{"rendered":"Loving the cross"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are moments in our journey when the Cross stands before us not as a burden, but as a doorway \u2014 a quiet invitation into the deeper love of God. The image of the Northern Lights stretching across the sky reminds us that even in the coldest, most rugged places of life, beauty breaks through. Light dances. Hope rises. Grace moves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saint Maria de Mattias once said, <em>\u201cLet us love the cross very much, for it is there that we discover our life, our true love, and our strength in our greatest difficulties.\u201d<\/em> Her words echo across the landscape of every believer\u2019s heart. The Cross is not simply a symbol of suffering; it is the place where love was proven, where mercy was poured out, where our true life was found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we learn to love the Cross, we learn to love the One who carried it for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We begin to see that the twists and turns of our journey \u2014 the unexpected valleys, the steep climbs, the nights that feel too long \u2014 are not signs of abandonment. They are places where God is shaping us, strengthening us, and drawing us closer to His heart. The Cross teaches us that nothing is wasted. Not our tears. Not our trials. Not our waiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just as the aurora lights up the darkness, the Cross lights up our lives with meaning. It reminds us that God meets us in our greatest difficulties and transforms them into places of grace. It is there that we discover courage we didn\u2019t know we had, peace we couldn\u2019t have created, and love that holds us steady.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To love the Cross is to trust that God is working even when we cannot see how.<br>To love the Cross is to believe that resurrection always follows surrender.<br>To love the Cross is to walk forward knowing that our final destination is not here, but home \u2014 with Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">May we learn to love the Cross not with fear, but with gratitude.<br>Not with reluctance, but with hope.<br>Not as a weight, but as a gift \u2014 the very place where heaven touched earth and changed everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/image_557191529613884.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"Beautiful northern lights over snowy mountains with cross theme.\"  > <\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A gentle reflection on learning to love the Cross \u2014 not as a burden, but as the place where God meets us with strength, love, and transforming grace, much like light breaking through the darkest sky.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132804860,"featured_media":622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5173,401,785751368],"tags":[54061,478480,1063940,816077,785751849,785751848,7816,785751850,158599,8329,26271,785751843,89692,548192,785751082,785751844,1097,263329,32569],"class_list":["post-623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christian-living","category-faith","category-spiritual-encouragement","tag-bond","tag-christ-like","tag-christian-encouragement","tag-christlike","tag-faith-in-difficult-times","tag-finding-strength-in-god","tag-god","tag-grace-and-surrender","tag-importance","tag-jesus","tag-journey","tag-loving-the-cross","tag-mortify","tag-our-father","tag-promise","tag-saint-maria-de-mattias","tag-self","tag-spiritual-reflection","tag-you"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/image_557191529613884.jpg?fit=3000%2C2515&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9vUsN-a3","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4018,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2024\/11\/21\/the-presentation-of-mary-in-the-temple-a-moment-of-grace-and-devotion\/","url_meta":{"origin":623,"position":0},"title":"The Presentation of Mary in the Temple: A Moment of Grace and Devotion","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"November 21, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple, celebrated on November 21st, signifies her dedication to God, initiated by her parents, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim. This event reflects their deep faith and serves as an inspiration for all to nurture a spiritual foundation and commit to God's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Biblical Studies&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Biblical Studies","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/biblical-studies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/presentation-of-mary.png?fit=940%2C788&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/presentation-of-mary.png?fit=940%2C788&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/presentation-of-mary.png?fit=940%2C788&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/presentation-of-mary.png?fit=940%2C788&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10282,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2025\/11\/07\/spiritual-discernment-and-the-armor-of-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":623,"position":1},"title":"Spiritual Discernment and the Armor of God","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"November 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Clothed in the armor of God and guided by the compass of grace, we begin a journey of spiritual discernment\u2014trusting the One who walks with us through beauty, burden, and mystery. https:\/\/wp.me\/p9vUsN-2FQ","rel":"","context":"In &quot;#Discernment&quot;","block_context":{"text":"#Discernment","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/discernment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Hand holding a compass in the foreground, with a winding stone path ascending through clouds toward a glowing light\u2014symbolizing spiritual discernment, preparation, and the journey of faith.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/equipped-for-the-road.png?fit=940%2C788&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/equipped-for-the-road.png?fit=940%2C788&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/equipped-for-the-road.png?fit=940%2C788&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/equipped-for-the-road.png?fit=940%2C788&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":625,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2018\/08\/28\/st-augustine-the-son-of-tears\/","url_meta":{"origin":623,"position":2},"title":"St Augustine, the Son of Tears \u2014","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"August 28, 2018","format":"quote","excerpt":"In Son of Tears, I pause with Augustine in the moment when his heart finally breaks open before God \u2014 not in despair, but in recognition. Fra Angelico\u2019s painting reveals a deeper truth beneath his tears: the quiet way grace moves when our strength ends, and the hidden power of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Art &amp; Culture&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Art &amp; Culture","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/art-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Saint Augustine in pink robes praying with hands covering face in a traditional setting.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/create-a-highly-detailed-high-resolution-image-inspired-by-fra-angelicos.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/create-a-highly-detailed-high-resolution-image-inspired-by-fra-angelicos.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/create-a-highly-detailed-high-resolution-image-inspired-by-fra-angelicos.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/create-a-highly-detailed-high-resolution-image-inspired-by-fra-angelicos.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9819,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2025\/10\/12\/a-holy-pause-embracing-gods-gift-of-rest-this-sunday\/","url_meta":{"origin":623,"position":3},"title":"\u201cA Holy Pause: Embracing God\u2019s Gift of Rest this Sunday\u201d","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"October 12, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Step into this Sunday with a heart open to God\u2019s grace. May the peace of Christ renew your spirit, the love of the Father guide your steps, and the light of the Holy Spirit fill your home. Take this day to rest in His presence and begin your week with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Faith&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/faith\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-photo-3933490.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-photo-3933490.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-photo-3933490.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-photo-3933490.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9823,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2025\/10\/12\/guided-by-grace-a-reflection-for-the-week-ahead\/","url_meta":{"origin":623,"position":4},"title":"\u201cGuided by Grace: A Reflection for the Week Ahead\u201d","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"October 12, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Step into the week with peace in your heart and trust in God\u2019s plan. Let the words of Scripture and the wisdom of the Saints remind you that His grace goes before you, His mercy sustains you, and His love never fails.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Catholic Faith &amp; Reflection&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Catholic Faith &amp; Reflection","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/catholic\/catholic-faith-reflection\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-photo-1133505.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-photo-1133505.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-photo-1133505.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-photo-1133505.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/pexels-photo-1133505.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6607,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2025\/03\/19\/lessons-from-saint-josephs-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":623,"position":5},"title":"Lessons from Saint Joseph&#8217;s Life","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"March 19, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Saint Joseph, revered as a humble and obedient figure, exemplifies unwavering faith and protection within the Holy Family. His quiet strength and dedication to God\u2019s plan inspire Christians worldwide. Celebrated as the patron of workers and families, his legacy encourages us to embody virtues of love, service, and trust in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;#gratitude&quot;","block_context":{"text":"#gratitude","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/gratitude\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-19.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-19.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-19.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-19.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/132804860"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=623"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13352,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions\/13352"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}