"If anyone will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23)
[Note that] He does not say "to me" but "after me." We must, therefore, walk in the same road of thorns and sufferings in which He walked...thus it is necessary that everyone deny himself.
"Let him take up."
It avails little to carry the cross by compulsion; all sinners bear it, but without merit. To bear it with merit, we must embrace it voluntarily.
"His cross."
Under this word is implied every kind of tribulation. Some persons when they receive spiritual consolations, offer themselves to suffer as great things as were endured by the martyrs, but they cannot endure a headache, the carelessness of a friend, the ill temper of a relative.
God does not ask you to endure hot irons, piercing nails, and tortures; but he desires that you should suffer patiently this pain, this annoyance, this contempt.
"Daily"
Some persons embrace the cross at the beginning, when it reaches them; but when it lasts long, they say, "now I can bear no more." Yet God wills that we should go on to endure it with patience, and even that we should bear it continually, even til death.
See that salvation and perfection consists in these three words:
1.)
Let him deny
2.)
Let him take up
3.)
Let him follow
God keeps us in the world, that we may bear the crosses He sends us. In this consists the merit of life.
Our Savior, because He loves us, came into this world, not for enjoyment, but to suffer, in order that we might follow in his footsteps.
To this end you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:21)
Oh what joy it is, in every trouble that befalls us, to say to Jesus Christ, "Lord, it is Thy will that I should endure this cross? I accept it, and will endure it as long as it pleases Thee."
Many persons are delighted to hear one speak of prayer, of peace, of love to Jesus Christ; but they find little pleasure in hearing one speak of crosses or of suffering. These are satisfied so long as the wind breathes with spiritual delights, but if it ceases, and there comes some adversity or desolation, in which the Lord hides Himself in order to prove them and deprive them of their usual comfort, they leave off prayer, Communion, and mortifications, and abandon themselves to ill-humor and lukewarmness, seeking their pleasure from earthly things.
Souls that love God find their comfort and sweetness in suffering; in recollecting that they sfufer for His love, and say, "How sweet it is, O my Lord!"
If we would love Him, we must love Him as He loved us.
O my Jesus! Thou alone hast been able to teach us these maxims of salvation, all contrary to the maxims of the world; and Thou alone canst give us strength to suffer crosses with patience. I do not pray Thee to exempt me from suffering; I only pray Thee to give me strength to suffer with patience and resignation.
Deprive me of everything, of every earthly good, of relatives, friends, health of body, of every comfort; deprive me even of life; but not of Thy love. Give me Thyself, and I ask no more.
