In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
We are used, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, to religious leaders and teachers coming to tell us what we must do; without an invitation they demand of us, “You must believe this, you must do that, you must behave as I tell you;” and, perhaps only implicitly, there is the undertone, “I am correct and you must not challenge me.” Alongside these, predictions are often given about the futures of those who follow this preacher—“you will be blessed, you will receive health, wealth and whatever you desire”—together with curses against those who ignore him: “You will stir up the wrath of God, misfortune will befall you.”
Most in our society rightly ignore such men, though there are some who are taken in by them—those who like the certainties, the simple message, the assurance of health, wealth and happiness—and for their sakes we should work for their freedom from the captivity holding them.
The Lord said: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Christ speaks to us in a different manner, “If anyone wishes to come after me.” There is no compulsion in his voice, no “must,” but an invitation to each of us, to you and to me, to follow him. He has defeated idolatry, sin and even death, he has brought about new Life by allowing us to be joined to him, but we are not forced to follow. And, having made the free decision to follow him, there is a further contrast with those religious leaders of the world: health, wealth and happiness are not promised, rather there is work to be done, we are to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him.
And I am scandalised, I am shocked. This is not “religion” as the world would have it: and yet, “the Word of the Cross,” the Apostle tells us, “is foolishness to those who are perishing.” Not just strange, not just unusual, but utter foolishness. But it is the only way to true reality, the only way to true joy, the only way to eternal Life, since St Paul confirms for us, “but to us who are being saved [the Word of the Cross] is the power of God.” (First Corinthians 1:18) Christ is saying directly to me, “Having heard the report of the Resurrection, of the defeat of all my enemies, of the promise of new and eternal Life, if you wish to come after me, deny yourself, take up you own cross, and follow me.”
“Take up the cross of repenting for your sins, take up the cross of serving others, take up the cross of ridicule for your faith and your faithfulness, take up the cross of sufferings for my sake; and bearing all these, follow me.”
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, there is no middle way: “I know your works,” the beloved disciple is instructed to write to the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans,
that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
Revelation 3:15–16
So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.
Each of us is either a follower of Christ or not. Let us, here and now, choose to follow Christ. He does not offer material blessings, nor health nor wealth, he offers to each of us a cross to carry alongside his, that we may journey to Golgotha with him, be crucified alongside him, that we may be joined to him, buried with him, and rise with him to eternal life.
Let us, therefore, glorify our crucified and risen God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who invites us to follow him to Life, together with his unoriginate Father and the All-holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Brethren, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, ‘Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee’; as he says also in another place, ‘Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek.’
— Hebrews 4:14–16, 5:1–6
The Lord said: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.
— Mark 8:34–38, 9:1