In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Today, the Sunday of the Cross, we heard in the Gospel reading the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mark 8)
What does this mean, “to take up one’s cross?” – The cross – means sorrows, afflictions, illnesses, – all the sorrows that we encounter along life’s journey.
The Lord calls upon us to take up our cross and follow Him on the way to Golgotha. He Himself endured all sorts of afflictions during His life on earth, which ended on the Cross.
Such was God’s will that the Cross would become the instrument of our salvation. Such was God’s will that the saving, regenerating force would emerge from suffering and labour.
Also, we find this teaching in other places of the Holy Scripture.
The Lord says: “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Mat. 7)
Again, at the Last Supper Jesus said to His Apostles: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good courage, I have overcome the world”. (John 16)
“Through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God,” – the Apostles instructed their disciples (Acts 14).
One may ask, “Why is the way to salvation goes through sorrows and tribulations?”
In order to understand this, we should remember, that our temporary life on earth is only one moment compared to eternity, and the purpose of our short life is repentance. For those who are repenting, it is inappropriate for them to spend time on pleasures and entertainment.
This life on earth is not given to us for amusement but for repentance and preparation for eternity. The Lord says: “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh… Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep” (Luke 6)
Enduring afflictions uncomplainingly is a sign of a true and sincere repentance. While, on the contrary, if a man complains, mumbles and does not accept his cross shows a lack of faith and repentance.
We may see this in the thieves who were crucified with Jesus Christ. The two thieves symbolize all of mankind. They were both sinners and both suffered for their crimes.
One of them grumbled, demanding to be delivered from his cross: “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” – he said to Jesus.
The other thief acknowledged his sins, recognized that he was suffering justly. He said to his companion: “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23)
Due to his repentance the Good Thief was able to understand the mystery of Christ’s Cross that He Who was crucified with them was the Son of God, who suffered for the sins of the world.
If Christ walked the narrow way, even to His death on the cross, is it possible to imagine that His followers would choose to walk the broad way of life, in their pleasure?
The Lord says: “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also” (John 12).
There are people whom the Lord leads on the path of sorrows, even from a young age. These are God’s chosen ones. St Isaac the Syrian says: “From this we may see that a man is placed under God’s special protection, if He always sends him afflictions”.
Affliction is the instrument, by which God fashions the soul of man, as a sculptor, who cuts off pieces of marble with a sharp tool.
However, sorrows to a greater or lesser extent are destiny of all mankind. Such was God’s determination after the fall of the first man. He said to Adam, “Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life, thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you” (Gen.3).
The Lord created man not for sorrow, but for eternal joy in Paradise. However, this blessed condition turned out to be of no benefit for him. The first man quickly became proud and rejected his Creator and Benefactor.
Therefore, it was necessary to put man in adverse conditions, so that having been fashioned by afflictions, he would be able to live in Paradise.
All people go through various sorrows and hardships at some point in their life, this is our common destiny. If we carry the cross of sorrows with faith in Christ, patience, and repentance just like the Good Thief, our cross receives divine force from the Cross of Christ. becoming the instrument of our salvation.
Amen.
