by Rev. John Evangelist Zollner, 1884
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." — Matt. 16:24
In the Saints have been fulfilled the words of Christ: "Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for your reward is very great in heaven." Who can describe the joys which they experience in that heavenly country? God has wiped away all tears from their eyes, they are free from all mourning, crying and sorrow, and all sufferings and tribulations of this mortal life (Apoc. 21:4); they are most intimately united with God and enjoy that happiness of which the Apostle speaks: "The eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him." — I. Cor. 2:9. This joy, this felicity, lasts forever, without interruption, as long as God is God. As unspeakably happy and blessed as our glorified brothers and sisters are we also must become; for it is the will of God that we all be saved. But what must we do in order to be admitted with the Saints into heaven? According to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ we must:
I. Deny ourselves, II. Take up our cross, and III. Follow Him.
Part I — Deny Ourselves
Self-denial or mortification consists in curbing our evil inclinations, desires and senses, such as the eyes, the ears and the tongue, and in courageously renouncing all things whatsoever which are an obstacle to salvation. This mortification is necessary for our salvation, for without it we can, neither avoid evil nor do good.
1. We cannot avoid evil without mortification.
(a) Sacred history. What befell Cain when he disregarded the admonition of God? "The lust of sin shall be under thee, and thou shalt have dominion over it." — Gen. 4:7. He committed the crime of fratricide. What happened to David when he gave free scope to his eyes? He became an adulterer and a murderer. What was the end of Judas, when he did not resist his inordinate desire for money? He betrayed and sold his Lord and Master for thirty pieces of silver, after which, in despair, he hanged himself.
(b) Experience. There are many Christians who are infected with the vices of pride, avarice, impurity, drunkenness, anger, etc., who offend God most grievously. Whence does it come? Simply because they do not mortify themselves. They give full liberty to their senses, allow evil desires to grow in their hearts, like weeds, and never think of restraining them.
(c) Example of the Saints. They knew well that without self-denial one cannot avoid evil; for this reason they often underwent the greatest austerities and practised the most astonishing mortifications. St. Paul says of himself: "I chastise my body and bring it into subjection: lest, perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a reprobate." — I. Cor. 9:27. St. Jerome lacerated his breast with stones, St. Benedict rolled himself in briars and thorns, St. Bernard plunged himself in a frozen lake, in order to overcome impure temptations. St. Francis Borgia continually made war against the flesh, and thought only of mortifying himself.
2. We cannot do good without mortification.
Every man is naturally inclined to evil; to do good costs him more or less labor, because his sensual nature is opposed to it. Besides this, there are yet two other enemies of our salvation, the world and the devil, who endeavor by all possible means to lead us astray. "As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odor." — Eccles. 24:23. The vine needs to be pruned frequently, if it is to bear not only leaves, but grapes. In like manner we must curb our sensual emotions and inclinations, that they may not prevent us from bringing forth fruits of justice.
We read of them that they distinguished themselves in virtue, and reached a high degree of perfection. They were exceedingly humble, meek, patient and merciful; they lived so chastely that they carried their robe of innocence with them unstained to the grave; they were so devout that they spent whole nights in prayer; so liberal that they distributed all their substance among the poor. How did they attain to such an extraordinary degree of virtue and holiness? Chiefly by self-denial, which they practised continually.
Part II — Take Up Our Cross
1. To take up the cross is for most people absolutely necessary for salvation.
(a) For many sinners. God gives sinners numberless graces for conversion. He speaks to them through the voice of conscience, by the words of priests in the pulpit and in the confessional, he sends them special seasons of grace, such as missions, and jubilees, and seeks to make a salutary impression upon them by various events, such as the death of an acquaintance, but all in vain; they remain unconverted. Then in his longanimity and mercy God acts like a good father, who if his children do not profit by his admonitions and reprimands, has recourse to the rod and severely and sensibly punishes them; he sends the sinner into the school of sufferings, inflicting upon him poverty and need, sickness and pain, contempt and other afflictions.
(b) Even for many just. There is scarcely any one so healthy that he does not need medicine sometimes, in order to remove some disorder and continue in good health. In like manner there are but few Christians who preserve their fervor for virtue, if they have always days of prosperity. Continued prosperity is frequently the cause of their becoming tepid, of placing their mind and heart upon earthly things, and even of their deep fall.
2. It is expedient for all.
(a) To satisfy for temporal punishments. Many of those who now walk in the path of virtue, formerly committed great and grievous sins; true, they have sincerely confessed these sins and obtained the remission of them, together with the eternal punishment, but the temporal punishment remains, for which they must render satisfaction either here or in purgatory.
(b) For increase of future happiness. The Apostle assures us of this: "Our present tribulation, which is momentary and light, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory." — II. Cor. 4:17. And Christ Himself says: "Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you untruly, for my sake; be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven." Thus St. Theresa said: "Lord, let me suffer or die." St. Magdalen of Pazzi: "Lord, not to die, but to suffer." Bear, then, the cross which God places upon your shoulders with patience, for it is the key that opens heaven for you.
Self-denial and mortification are necessary for salvation, but not sufficient; we must also follow Christ. Now, we follow Him, 1. When we believe in Him, that is, believe without doubting, all that God has revealed and all that the Catholic Church proposes to our faith. "He that believeth in the Son, hath life everlasting, but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." — John 3:36. "He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not, shall be condemned." — Mark 16:16. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." — Heb. 11:6.
2. When we love Him with our whole heart. Charity also is absolutely necessary for salvation, for without charity faith has no sanctifying virtue. "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy, and should know all mysteries; and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." — I. Cor. 13:1-3. The Saints became holy and worked out their salvation, not by the miracles they wrought, not by means of the individual good works which they practised, but only through the love of God, from which their virtues and good works proceeded.
Part III — Follow Him
Peroration
You know now what you must do in order to be admitted among the Saints in heaven. Deny yourself, mortify the lusts of the flesh and all sinful desires, bridle your senses and with constancy refuse to yourself all that is sinful and all that leads to sin. Take up your cross, accept cheerfully all the sufferings and tribulations you receive from the hand of God, for they are graces which will lead you on in the path of salvation, confirm you in good, expiate the temporal punishments due your sins and increase your glory in heaven. Follow Christ. Hold fast to the faith and have charity, and manifest both by an unceasing fervor in the practice of Christian virtues and good works. Even though self-denial, mortification, the carrying of your cross and following Christ be connected with difficulties, let not your courage fail; God is with you, and assisted by his grace you can do all things. Labor, combat and suffer with the Saints on earth, that you may triumph with them in heaven. Amen.
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