Monday 1 December 2025 - Take up your cross

Monday 1 December 2025

Today is Monday the 1st of December, the Feast of Saint Edmund Campion, in the 1st week of Advent. Jon Guerra sings, ‘Take Up Your Cross’. We will reflect on these words of scripture in our time of prayer today. As you use this piece of music to help you pray, perhaps ask Jesus to stay close to you. If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me Whoever would save his life Will lose it Whoever loses his life for me Will find it If anyone claims to worship God Let him give all away Take up his cross Follow me Whoever would save his life Will lose it Whoever loses his life for me Will find it What would it profit a man If he gains the whole world And forfeits his soul What would it profit a man at all What would it profit a man If he dies with a barn full of silver and gold What would it profit a man at all If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 9:23-26 Then he said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. In this reading, we encounter Jesus talking to his disciples (who are probably a bit puzzled by it all), about what is likely to happen if they decide to follow him. And it may seem a bit uncomfortable: you are to deny yourself and take up your cross. Consider the challenge of Jesus in this time of prayerful reflection with this reading...To take up your cross probably involves letting go of something. How might Jesus be asking you to “deny yourself” today? What is the value of “gaining the world” compared to this gift of life that Jesus offers? Jesus speaks of people being “ashamed” of the Son of Man. Have you ever felt tempted to be ashamed of Jesus? Have you ever wished to deny him rather than to deny yourself? Reflect on this as you hear the passage again. Luke 9:23-26 Then he said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Finally, just look back over this time of prayerful reflection. What might God be asking of you? Can you take up that word of invitation into prayer with Jesus? O Wisdom Lord and Ruler Root of Jesse Key of David Rising Sun King of the Nations Emmanuel Come, Lord Jesus