OF THE ROYAL WAY OF THE HOLY CROSS
“That seems a hard saying to many, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow Me”, (Matthew 16:24). But it will be much harder to hear that last sentence, “Depart from me, you wicked, into eternal fire”, (Matthew 25:41). For they who now willingly hear the word of the Cross and follow it, shall not then fear the hearing of eternal damnation. This sign of the Cross shall be in heaven when the Lord comes to Judgment. Then all servants of the Cross, who in life have conformed themselves to the Crucified, shall draw nigh unto Christ the Judge, with great boldness.
Why fear you then, to take up the cross which leads to a kingdom? In the Cross is health, in the Cross is life, in the Cross is protection from enemies, in the Cross is heavenly sweetness, in the Cross, strength of mind; in the Cross joy of the spirit, in the Cross the height of virtue, in the Cross perfection of holiness. There is no health of the soul, no hope of eternal life, save in the Cross. Take up therefore, thy cross and follow Jesus, and you shall go into eternal life. He went before you bearing His Cross, and died for you upon the Cross that you also may bear your cross and may love to be crucified upon it. For if you be dead with Him, you shall also live with Him, and if you be a partaker of His sufferings, you shall be also of His glory.
Behold, everything depends upon the Cross, and everything lies in dying; and there is no other way unto life and to true inward peace, except the way of the Holy Cross and of daily mortification. Go where you will, seek whatsoever you will, and you shall find no higher way above, nor safer way below, than the way of the Holy Cross. Dispose and order all things according to your own will and judgment, and you shall ever find something to suffer, either willingly or unwillingly, and thus you shall ever find your cross; for you shall either feel pain of body, or tribulation of spirit, within your soul.
Sometimes you will be forsaken of God, sometimes you will be tried by your neighbour, and which is more, you will often be wearisome to yourself. And still you cannot be delivered nor eased by any remedy or consolation, but must bear so long as God will. For God will have you learn to suffer tribulation without consolation, and to submit yourself fully to it, and by tribulation be made more humble.
No man understands the Passion of Christ in his heart so well, as he who has had somewhat of the like suffering himself. The Cross therefore is always ready, and everywhere, waits for you. You cannot flee from it whithersoever you hurry for whithersoever you come, you bear yourself with you, and shall ever find yourself. Turn you above, turn you below, turn you without, turn you within, and in them all you shall find the Cross; and needful is it that you everywhere possess patience, if you will have internal peace and gain the everlasting crown.”
Thomas a Kempis
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