“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it. For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul?” -Matthew 16:24-26
In today’s Gospel, our Lord makes it clear that if we wish to be saved, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. What exactly does this mean, and should we fear our Lord’s command? First, if we have a correct and well-ordered view of God, this should not scare us. We must view God as our loving Father, who desires our salvation more than we do, and who asks us to suffer only if absolutely necessary and for the greater good. If we see God in this light, it will make it much easier to recognise God’s loving Providence in both good and bad times. Live in the moment with childlike trust in God, not fear of the future, and you will have a deep interior peace.
Actively Work to Fight
Second, what does our Lord mean when he says to deny ourselves and take up our cross? To deny ourselves means we must actively work to fight our faults, control our appetites, and choose the greater good, even when difficult. This may mean many different things, such as fasting, praying when you don’t feel like it, controlling your anger, not saying something impatient, doing works of mercy, etc. And what does our Lord mean when He says we should take up our cross? Accept the small daily crosses of life as well as the big ones. Often, the small everyday crosses are what God is asking us to really embrace! This does not mean if you are sick you shouldn’t try to get well or pray persistently for healing. But you should ultimately be willing to endure the sickness for love of God and offer it to Him.
Meditate
Two helpful verses to meditate on with today’s Gospel are:
“Love casts out fear.” -1 John 4:18
“Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you of much more value than they?” -Matthew 6:26.
Do not fear! Trust that God’s loving path for you is best and will bring you to Heaven.
