Christian

Post N° 62

THE FRIENDS OF THE CROSS by St. Louis De Montfort (1673-1716)

INTRODUCTION

Dear friends of the Cross:

1.
Since the divine Cross keeps me hidden and prevents me from speaking, I
cannot, and do not even wish to express to you by word of mouth the
feelings of my heart on the divine excellence and practices of your
Association in the adorable Cross of Jesus Christ.

However, on
this last day of my retreat, I come out, as it were, from the sweet
retirement of my interior, to trace upon paper a few little arrows from
the Cross with which to pierce your noble hearts. God grant that I
could point them with the blood of my veins and not with the ink of my
pen. Even if blood were required, mine, alas!, would be unworthy. May
the spirit of the living God, then, be the life, vigour and tenor of
this letter. May His unction be my ink, His divine Cross my pen and
your hearts my paper.

Part I

EXCELLENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THE FRIENDS OF THE CROSS

I -- Grandeur of the Name, Friends of the Cross

2.
Friends of the Cross, you are a group of crusaders united to fight
against the world, not like those religious, men and women, who leave
the world for fear of being overcome, but like brave, intrepid warriors
on the battlefront, refusing to retreat or even to yield an inch. Be
brave. Fight with all your might.

Bind yourselves together in
that strong union of heart and mind which is far superior, far more
terrifying to the world and hell than the armed forces of a
well-organised kingdom are to its enemies. Demons are united for your
destruction, but you, be united for their overthrow; the avaricious are
united to barter and hoard up gold and silver, combine your efforts in
the pursuit of the eternal treasures hidden in the Cross; reprobates
unite to make merry, but you, be united to suffer.

3.
You call yourselves "Friends of the Cross. " What a wonderful name! I
must admit that it charms and fascinates me. It is brighter than the
sun, higher than the heavens, more imposing and resplendent than any
title given to king or emperor. It is the great name of Christ Himself,
true God and true Man at one and the same time. It is the unmistakable
title of a Christian.

4. Its splendour dazzles
me but the weight of it frightens me. For this title implies that you
have taken upon yourselves difficult and inescapable obligations, which
are summed up in the words of the Holy Ghost: "A chosen generation, a
kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people" (1 Peter 2, 9).

A
Friend of the Cross is one chosen by God from among ten thousand who
have reason and sense for their only guide. He is truly divine, raised
above reason and thoroughly opposed to the things of sense, for he
lives in the light of true faith and burns with love for the Cross.

A
Friend of the Cross is a mighty king, a hero who triumphs over the
devil, the world and the flesh and their three-fold concupiscence. He
overthrows the pride of Satan by his love for humiliation, he triumphs
over the world's greed by his love for poverty and he restrains the
sensuality of the flesh by his love for suffering.

A Friend of
the Cross is a holy man, separated from visible things. His heart is
lifted high above all that is frail and perishable, "his conversation
is in heaven" (Phil. 3, 20); he journeys here below like a stranger and
pilgrim. He keeps his heart free from the world, looks upon it with an
unconcerned glance of his left eye and disdainfully tramples it under
foot.

A Friend of the Cross is a trophy which the crucified
Christ won on Calvary in union with His Blessed Mother. He is another
Benoni (Gen. 35, 18) or Benjamin, a son of sorrow, a son of the right
hand. Conceived in the sorrowful heart of Christ, he comes into this
world through the gash in the Saviour's right side and is all empurpled
in His blood. True to this heritage, he breathes forth only crosses and
blood, death to the world, the flesh and sin and hides himself here
below with Jesus Christ in God (Col. 3, 3).

Thus, a perfect
Friend of the Cross is a true Christ-bearer or rather another Christ,
so much so that he can say with truth: "I live, now not I, but Christ
liveth in me" (Gal. 2, 20).

5. My dear Friends
of the Cross, does every act of yours justify what the eminent name you
bear implies? Or at least are you, with the grace of God, in the shadow
of Calvary's Cross and of Our Lady of Pity, really eager and truly
striving to attain this goal? Is the way you follow the one that leads
to this goal? Is it the true way of life, the narrow way, the
thorn-strewn way to Calvary? Or are you unconsciously travelling the
world's broad road, the road to perdition? Do you realise that there is
a highroad which to all appearances is straight and safe for man to
travel, but which in reality leads to death?

6.
Do you really know the voice of God and grace from the voice of the
world and human nature? Do you distinctly hear the voice of God, our
kind Father, pronouncing His three-fold curse upon every one who
follows the world in its concupiscence: "Woe, woe, woe to the
inhabitants of the earth" (Apoc. 8, 13) and then appealing to you with
outstretched arms: "Be separated, My chosen people (Is. 48, 20; 52, 11;
Jer. 50, 8; 51, 6), beloved Friends of the Cross of My Son, be
separated from those worldlings, for they are accursed by My Majesty,
repudiated by My Son (John 17, 9) and condemned by My Holy Spirit (John
16, 8-12). Do not sit in their chair of pestilence; take no part in
their gatherings; do not even step along their highways (Ps. 1, 1).
Hurry away from this great and infamous Babylon (Is. 48, 20; Jer. 51,
6), hearken only to the voice of My Beloved Son; follow only in His
footprints; for He is the One I have given to be your Way, Truth, Life
(John 14, 6) and Model: hear ye Him" (Matt. 17, 5; Luke 9, 35; Mark 9,
6; 2 Pet. 1, 17).

Is your ear attentive to the pleadings of the
loveable and crossburdened Jesus, "Come, follow Me; he that followeth
Me walketh not in darkness (John 8, 12); have confidence, I have
conquered the world" (John 16, 33)?