Imitation of Christ: 2, 11, (36) Few Love the Cross of Jesus [Devotional]

JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if He should never give them consolation, yet they would continue to praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks. What power there is in pure love for Jesus -- love that is flee from all self-interest and self-love!
Do not those who always seek consolation deserve to be called mercenaries? Do not those who always think of their own profit and gain prove that they love themselves rather than Jesus Christ? Where can a man be found who desires to serve God for nothing? Rarely indeed is a man so spiritual as to strip himself of all things. And who shall find a man so truly poor in spirit as to be free from every creature? His value is like that of things brought from the most distant lands.
If a man give all his wealth, it is nothing; if he do great penance, it is little; if he gain all knowledge, he is still far afield; if he have great virtue and much ardent devotion, he still lacks a great deal, and especially, the one thing that is most necessary to him. What is this one thing? That leaving all, he forsake himself, completely renounce himself, and give up all private affections. Then, when he has done all that he knows ought to be done, let him consider it as nothing, let him make little of what may be considered great; let him in all honesty call himself an unprofitable servant. For truth itself has said: "When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: 'we are unprofitable servants.'" [Luke 17:10]
Then he will be truly poor and stripped in spirit, and with the prophet may say: "I am alone and poor." [Ps. 24:16] No one, however, is more wealthy than such a man; no one is more powerful, no one freer than he who knows how to leave all things and think of himself as the least of all.

The Religion Moderator gave me permission to copy the rules from the Chambers' thread (with a few alterations) which I think are applicable. Thank you to the RM!

Come to these threads as you are; leave with what you have discovered.

Absolutely no flaming! These daily threads are intended to be devotional in nature. If a particular day's offering says nothing to you, please just go on and wait for the next day. Consider these threads a DMZ of sorts, a place where a perpetual truce is in effect and a place where all other arguments and disagreements from other times and places are left behind.

I can attest from personal experience (Salvation's) that reading from Imitation of Christ daily will almost certainly change - not one's faith - but one's perspective of his/her own faith, and open up new vistas in your spiritual life. If - when - this happens to a reader of these threads, and they choose to share what has happened within them - we are treading on hallowed ground. Be respectful.

- Religion Moderator

“Take heed also concerning the Cross which thou wearest about thy shoulders. Remember the covenant which exists between thee and Christ Himself. When thou camest forth from the baptismal font, thou didst promise to be a servant of Christ and didst venerate His Crucifixion, the Cross of Christ, and wast signed with the Cross of Christ and didst receive from the priest’s hand the Cross of Christ, which thou didst place upon thy shoulders. thou didst accept Christ’s covenant, whereby thou didst promise to follow Christ according to the Gospel; as it is written: “He that taketh not His Cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of Me.” Thou hast taken up the Cross and promised to follow after Christ. Be mindful then, that thou wearest upon thy body the image of the Cross of Christ, upon which He voluntarily suffered for our salvation. This is God’s covenant; this is the ensign of Christ the King: this is the standard of the heavenly hosts; thereby wilt thou be known as a servant of Christ. If anyone ask thee, “What is that?”, answer him thus, as it is written: “I bear on my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” If he say, “Where is it written, and who hath commanded thus?”, tell him that the Lord carried the cross when the Lord went to His voluntary Passion. It was He Who charged us who believe in Him to carry the Cross. As the divine Luke saith, “They laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the Cross that he might bear it after Jesus.” At that time, also, the wise thief by the cross entered into Paradise. But if the man reproach thee and make further inquiries, flee from him quickly, for he is not a believer. For when a man is overly inquisitive about things divine, he hath a deep heart, and God is exalted over him, but he descendeth down to hell, because he seeketh to know what is above him, and keepeth not that which hat been handed down to him.” From the Orthodox Prayer Book

**When thou camest forth from the baptismal font, thou didst promise to be a servant of Christ and didst venerate His Crucifixion, the Cross of Christ, and wast signed with the Cross of Christ and didst receive from the priest’s hand the Cross of Christ, which thou didst place upon thy shoulders. thou didst accept Christ’s covenant, whereby thou didst promise to follow Christ according to the Gospel; as it is written: “He that taketh not His Cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of Me.” Thou hast taken up the Cross and promised to follow after Christ. Be mindful then, that thou wearest upon thy body the image of the Cross of Christ, upon which He voluntarily suffered for our salvation. **

This is beautiful.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Few Love the Cross of Jesus

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST

A very powerful spiritual guidance for the soul who seeks to imitate Jesus Christ.

Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Mat. 11:29

Few Love the Cross of Jesus

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST

A very powerful spiritual guidance for the soul who seeks to imitate Jesus Christ. Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Mat. 11:29

A very powerful spiritual guidance for the soul who seeks to imitate Jesus Christ.

Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Mat. 11:29