Jesus Is Given His Cross

In life, we are all given crosses to carry, challenges to face, and difficulties to overcome. Some of these crosses are self-imposed, but many times, they are not.

As we reflect on Jesus being given his cross to carry, we must recognize not only the crosses that we bear, but also our participation in placing crosses on the backs of others. Everyday, we make economic, social, and political choices that force others to bear crosses of oppression, suffering, and exploitation. Everyday, we make choices not to act, choosing to passively participate in systems that denigrate individuals’ dignity, ignore their humanity, and mock their sense of self worth.

In this piece, the cross is the central focus. Above the cross are the forces—both personal and structural—that crucify the most vulnerable in society. These forces of oppression—and our participation in them—push the crowns of thorns onto the heads of many, including those who are alternatively documented in the United States and those who are forced to leave their homes to migrate to new cities and countries for economic opportunity.

However, this piece also acknowledges that although humanity is broken, it is not irreparable. Below the cross, images of hope, community, and love lift the cross, reminding us that as individuals and communities, we have the power to not only impose crosses on others, but also to remove crosses.

What crosses do you bear? In what ways do you identify with Jesus in these scriptures?

In what ways do you identify with the soldiers? Where do you locate yourself in this piece?

Related Scripture

Mark 15:16-20

The soldiers took him into their headquarters and called out the entire battalion. They dressed him in a purple robe and made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on his head. Then they saluted, yelling, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they beat him on the head with a stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

John 19: 16-17

Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).

Artwork created by Grace Commons Community

Monica J. Brown
Monica Barrera
Merari Fernandez
Noe Mojica
Nick Croston
Danny LaBreque
Tim Vermeulen
Nanette Sawyer
Terra Winston
Emily Hendel
Jhonathan F. Gómez

30″ x 24″
Collage on canvas board
This piece was made in 2007 and was featured in an earlier Stations of the Cross series.