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At the Foot of the Cross: an Encounter with Christ Crucified

posted 1/31/2025

This story is a part of a series of missionary contributions where you’ll hear more about their “why” for defending and celebrating life with Biking for Babies. Joe rode in 2023 and 2024, and is a 2025 Team Leader from Wooster, OH.


“We proclaim Christ crucified” was a verse that came to mind during a Holy Hour after one of the toughest and most grueling days of the National Ride. I was sore from a crash earlier that day and tired from the constant riding and events of the week. I was ready to begin some “St. Joseph Mediations” and “rest in presence of the Lord” but God had other plans…

With the juxtaposition of the Crucifix and the Monstrance, that verse became much clearer; we proclaim Christ crucified as a sign of Christ’s love for us. A Love that wants to encounter us even if it means death on the Cross. 

A Love that wants us to follow Him and take up our crosses. 

On the National Ride, I’ve realized that we are often called to take up the cross in front of us and suffer for another. So often, like road closure detours on the route that add extra miles to an already long day, or a couple of hard crashes on gravel, we can’t choose the cross we have to carry. However, Christ doesn’t expect us to carry our unintentional crosses alone. We are apart of the Body of Christ and we are called to support each other in our “little crucifixions.”

So what does all of this mean?

When a young mother finds herself to be pregnant; she is often told by her friends, her families, her partner, and society that she couldn’t possibly choose life. Her pregnancy, her unexpected cross, is too heavy and too burdensome to carry alone. 

She is just going to suffer an unwanted cross.

They’re wrong…

Mostly. 

The fact of the matter is that a mother in a crisis pregnancy will suffer, tremendously at times, if she chooses life. 

However, she doesn’t have to suffer alone.

She doesn’t have to carry the cross alone. 

All that she needs is an encounter with Christ, an encounter that could change her life. 

The mission of Biking for Babies is just that: providing young mothers encounters of love and support to help her make the choice to carry her cross, to choose life. 

On of my favorite Latin phrases is “in sequella Christi,” in the footsteps of Christ

Reflecting on the experiences of the 2024 National Ride, that little phrase means so much more that I had once thought. 

Not only are we called to minister like Christ but to suffer like Christ. They are the two sides of the same coin. 

The Gospel of Life calls mothers, missionaries, and the culture to love like Christ, to walk in the footsteps of Christ Crucified knowing that we will not suffer alone.


We are proud he’s a Biking for Babies missionary, for life!

You can find similar impact stories throughout our blog.

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