DAILY HOMILIES #carry his cross and follow me

When Jesus speaks about carrying our crosses, He is not referring to sufferings entirely beyond our control. For instance, if I suffer from a medical condition, I cannot call it a cross because it is not something entirely within my power. I cannot choose to drop it or pick it up at will. The crosses we must bear as we follow Jesus are those sufferings that come to us in the process of pursuing a righteous life. In other words, you have a choice to either compromise your values (give in to sin to end the suffering) or continue doing what is right even though you are being persecuted for it.