Joseph Beuys made Cross using humble, everyday materials: pieces of card and some leftover house paint in his studio. The work isn’t well rendered, precise, or beautifully crafted, but nevertheless packs a punch in getting across a theme that is layered and dense with meaning.

As I reflect upon this moment as Jesus takes up his cross, I am struck by Christ’s calling that we also commit to take up our own cross and follow him (Mark 8:34). But our cross might be better visually represented the way Beuys represents his cross—responding to a present time and place without attention to precisely crafted materials or deftly developed gestures. Rather, our cross is made of everyday stuff: patience while waiting in line at the grocery store, kindness with a coworker, or love expressed to family through a thoughtful gesture. I encourage you to consider what your cross may be made of. How can you use what’s around you to follow Christ’s lead?

Prompt for further reflection: Gather some collage materials from around your house such as junk mail, cereal boxes, spare wire, string, tape, staples, or whatever else you can find, as well as some glue. Use your collage materials to create a simple cross, then take a moment to sit with your finished work of art. How does it feel to represent the cross using everyday items? How might these everyday items represent ways that you can live into Christ's calling?