The Ladder to Heaven
St. Rose of Lima
St. Rose of Lima once said, “Apart from the Cross, there is no other ladder by which we may go to Heaven.”
The Christian ladder is one of suffering and facing death. Every Christian is called to participate in Christ's life, death, and resurrection.
At a Christian funeral, the priest sprinkles holy water on the coffin and says, “In the waters of baptism N.)_______ died with Christ and rose with Him to new life. May he/she now share with Him eternal glory.”
St. Rose of Lima’s quote indicates that dying with Christ is part of the journey to Heaven. Only then, can we rise with Christ to new life and share with Him eternal glory.
The good news is that we do not climb this ladder of the Cross by ourselves. The Christian ladder has the fingerprints and footprints of Jesus on every rung.
This includes the steps of darkness and agony, of unjust accusations and threats, of being betrayed and abandoned, of being unable to bear the weight and asking for the cup of suffering to pass, of agonizing in a garden and being mocked, of being diminished and humiliated, of physical pains and tears, and of any other layer of suffering known to humanity.
This is why St. Paul can proclaim, “In all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).
There is no rung on the ladder of the Cross that Jesus has not held onto. Therefore, no rung is too burdensome for Christ and His followers. His love can be found on every step of the ladder.
St. Rose of Lima is correct; the Cross is the ladder by which we may go to Heaven.
Fr. Ben Daghir
