“In today’s Gospel Jesus tells His disciples: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

Jesus tells us to carry our cross. But perhaps there is another lesson here: Before we know what to carry, we also need to know what to put down. Many of us go through life carrying too many things. Sometimes we are exhausted because we are carrying things God never asked us to carry.

There are three kinds of baggage we often carry.

First, material baggage — travel light.

These are our possessions: money, clothes, gadgets, cars, properties, and all the things we accumulate.

There is nothing wrong with having things. We need many of them. The problem begins when we no longer possess our possessions; our possessions begin to possess us.

And remember: when our journey on earth is finished, we cannot bring any of these with us.

So travel light. Learn to share. If you have more than enough, give some away. Sometimes the easiest way to lighten your load is to bless somebody else with what you have.

Second, emotional baggage — let it go.

This baggage is often heavier because nobody can see it. Anger. Resentment. Jealousy. Guilt. Regret. Painful memories. Wounds caused by people who hurt us.

Some people have been carrying these things for years. Someone hurt you twenty years ago—and until today you are still carrying that person around in your heart. Kapoy kaayo!

Jesus did not say, “Carry your anger.” He did not say, “Carry your resentment.” He said, “Carry your cross.”

Not everything painful is a cross God wants us to carry. Some things God wants us to surrender so that He can heal us.

Forgive. Ask forgiveness. Pray. Seek healing. And when necessary, ask for help.

Emotional baggage—let it go.

Third, the baggage of love — carry it faithfully.

There are burdens, however, that we should not throw away. These are the people God has entrusted to us. Your aging parents. Your children. A sick husband or wife. A family member going through difficulty. The poor. The lonely. Someone who needs your patience and presence.

Sometimes loving people is heavy. There will be days when you become tired caring for an elderly parent. Parents can grow weary worrying about a difficult child. A husband or wife may spend years caring for a sick spouse.

But perhaps Jesus is saying: “Carry this one with Me.” Because the cross is not simply suffering. The cross is suffering carried because of love. Jesus carried His cross because He loved us.

He is my brother

There is a simple story about a boy who was carrying his younger brother on his back. The younger boy could hardly walk, and the road was long.

Someone saw them and said, “That is a heavy burden you are carrying.”

The boy looked at his little brother and answered: “He’s not a burden. He’s my brother.”

Final Words

What a beautiful way to understand the cross. Love does not always make the load lighter. Sometimes love simply gives us a reason to keep carrying it.

Perhaps today you are carrying someone. You may be tired. You may sometimes wonder, “Lord, how long must I carry this?”

And Jesus reminds us: “You are not carrying that person alone. Carry him with Me.”

So remember:

Material baggage—travel light.

Emotional baggage—let it go.

The baggage of love—carry it faithfully.

Because some burdens weigh us down, but the burdens we carry out of love can lead us closer to Christ.

And perhaps, when we finally stand before God, He will not ask us how much we accumulated. Perhaps He will simply ask: “Whom did you love? Whom did you help? Whom did you carry?”