The Deliverance Ne†work

Junkyard Crosses

In the writings so far this Lent we have touched on the need to go deeper in the spiritual journey.  We are called to take stock of where we are at spiritually in a heartfelt way and not one that is just on the surface, in the yearly ‘duties’ of Lent.  The following dream, with words from Jesus, immediately came to mind this week as one that needs to be shared – particularly in the Lenten season.  The symbolism of the dream, with the words He spoke create a very clear, mortifying picture of what He is asking from each of us.  I also don’t think it a coincidence that I was given this dream on Divine Mercy Sunday.  It is indeed merciful when God tells us how we need to change.  All we need to do is listen…In order to shape the listening, understanding and incorporation of the message into daily life I have included a commentary and interpretation by Rev. Joseph Kane.  While an image with a corresponding message can be a very powerful picture, it is also helpful to have positive, practical information in order to take the message and bring it into our daily lives in order to grow and change in our spiritual journey.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2007

I had a dream that woke me. It was brief:

I was shown what seemed to be a garbage pile or junkyard of broken, bent and misshapen crosses – drab, grey, brown – colourless wood. They were all piled in a heap cluttering this valley-like garbage hole. I don’t know whose crosses these were, but I knew they were people’s – the crosses of various people. 

 Then a voice said to me (I believe it was Jesus, although I did not see him – I only heard His voice):

 “All is to no avail without works.”

In the dream I had been telling Him how well I wanted to serve Him and that I loved serving Him – wanted to give Him my very best.

Since this dream woke me abruptly I recorded the verbatim words first and then I recorded the rest of the dream. Then, honestly, I felt such a sense of mortification at His words and immediately thoroughly examined myself to see if I could be one He was referring to.  After 10 minutes or so of retrospection I concluded that there was no way I could have done more in the way of works these last seven years.

However, I cannot convey just how mortifying this picture and His words were!  It made me redouble my intentions and efforts so that I would not be one to come to my death to find that I was one that carried useless crosses that did not produce fruit for myself and others. 

In the following commentary, Father Kane gives us light and wisdom in interpreting the message of this experience:

“The cross has been seen in recent years as carrying the Christian burden, both because it is difficult and because we are often persecuted for doing it.  It is important to realize that there are essentially two types of crosses; ones that are viewed as positive and those that are viewed as negative.

An example of a positive cross would be the productivity or fruit with regard to the nature of the person’s calling – in the example of the daily crosses parents carry in the raising of their children, which though difficult, bear great fruit.  The negative crosses are those daily circumstances that are mortifications or testing of the person in perseverance in following Christ.

The main ingredient in either case is the intention of each person in carrying their daily crosses.  If the person does not have the right intention, the effort can be useless.  If they don’t see the purifying and nobling effect of carrying the cross for Jesus it can fail in the purpose of making the person better and aiding in their sanctification.

In my work in Peru this need to carry the cross well – having the right intention – was brought sharply into focus.  Especially in the relationships in the famliy, I saw that even though many of these people were extremely poor they weren’t selfish in the use of goods and means.  They shared their limited resources cheerfully and willingly.  In other words, they carried the cross of poverty well.  I have often seen this contrasted among those in materially rich areas.  The difficulties and crosses of life are often carried with a grudge and as a result their spiritual growth is stagnated.  This can be represented in the bent, broken, misshapen crosses.

In essence those who are ‘showy’ about religion and just ‘put on the cloth’, but don’t do the true work in Lent (and always) of honestly trying to follow Christ’s example are the ones whose ‘crosses are to no avail.’

Rev. Joseph E. Kane