If You Wish To Be A Follower Of MINE, Deny Yourself And Take Up Your Cross Each Day And Follow ME!

"And HE added, 'The Son of Man must suffer many things.  HE will be rejected by the elders and chief priests and teachers of the law, and be put to death.  Then after three days HE will be raised to life.'

JESUS also said to all the people, 'If you wish to be a follower of MINE, deny yourself and take up your cross each day, and follow ME!  For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for MY sake, you will save it.  What does it profit you gain the whole world, if you destroy or damage yourself?'" - Luke 9:22-25 

(Why did JESUS ask HIS apostles the questions we have just read?  The Gospel answers clearly: because the time had come for JESUS to announce HIS passion to them.  JESUS had not only come to teach people but to open for them the door leading to the Resurrection.  Since HIS apostles now know HIM to be the Savior promised to Israel, they must learn that there is no salvation if death is not conquered [1 Corinthians 15:25].  JESUS will obtain this victory when HE freely chooses the way of the cross: the Son of Man has to suffer much and be rejected by the authorities.

Immediately after that, JESUS adds that we must all share in the victory over death: You must deny yourself: this is the fundamental orientation of our life.  We must choose between serving and being served, sacrificing ourselves for others or taking advantage of them.  Or, as a well-known prayer puts it: Let me seek not so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.

It is in his early years that a child is helped towards this choice.  In a true family he is not the center and king, with his parents as slaves, but he learns how to serve and give himself.  He must accept his brothers and sisters, share with them and at times limit his own future for their good.

Take up your cross each day.   Here comes the acceptance of the cross which the LORD gives to each one of us and which we do not have to choose because we find it in our destiny.  We must not carry it because we are compelled to, but rather we must love it because the LORD wished it for us.

If you choose to save your life.  JESUS refers to the general orientation of our life.  HE has nothing in common with those who are only concerned about avoiding "sins," while they pursue their ambitions and their desire to enjoy this life to the fullest.  The mere fact of seeking to live without risks separates us from GOD's way.)

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