Christian

Post N° 61

II -- The Two Groups

A -- THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST AND THE FOLLOWERS OF THE WORLD


7. Dear Brethren these are the two groups that appear before you each day, the followers of Christ and the followers of the world.

Our
loving Saviour's group is to the right, scaling a narrow path made all
the narrower by the world's corruption. Our kind Master is in the lead,
barefooted, thorn-crowned, robed in His blood and weighted with a heavy
cross. There is only a handful of people who follow Him, but they are
the bravest of the brave. His gentle voice is not heard above the
tumult of the world, or men do not have the courage to follow Him in
poverty, suffering, humiliation and in the other crosses His servants
must bear all the days of their life.

B -- THE OPPOSING SPIRIT OF THE GROUPS

8.
To the left is the world's group, the devil's in fact, which is far
superior in number, and seemingly far more colourful and splendid in
array. Fashionable folk are all in a hurry to enlist, the highways are
overcrowded, although they are broad and ever broadening with the
crowds that flow through in a torrent. These roads are strewn with
flowers, bordered with all kinds of amusements and attractions, and
paved with gold and silver (Matt. 7, 13-14).

9.
To the right, the little flock that follows Jesus can speak only of
tears, penance, prayer and contempt for worldly things. Sobbing in
their grief, they can be heard repeating: "Let us suffer, let us weep,
let us fast, let us pray, let us hide, let us humble ourselves, let us
be poor, let us mortify ourselves, for he who has not the spirit of
Christ, the spirit of the Cross, is none of Christ's. Those who are
Christ's have crucified their flesh with its concupiscence. We must be
conformed to the image of Jesus Christ or else be damned!" "Be brave, "
they keep saying to each other, "be brave, for if God is for us, in us
and leading us, who dare be against us? The One Who is dwelling within
us is stronger than the one who is in the world; no servant is above
his master; one moment of light tribulation worketh an eternal weight
of glory; there are fewer elect than man may think; only the brave and
daring take heaven by storm; the crown is given only to those who
strive lawfully according to the Gospel, not according to the fashion
of the world. Let us put all our strength into the fight, and run very
fast to reach the goal and win the crown. " Friends of the Cross spur
each other on with such divine words.

10.
Worldlings, on the contrary, rouse one another to persist in their
unscrupulous depravity. "Enjoy life, peace and pleasure, " they shout,
"Enjoy life, peace and pleasure. Let us eat, let us drink, let us sing,
let us dance, let us play. God is good, He did not make us to damn us;
God does not forbid us to enjoy ourselves; we shall not be damned for
that; away with scruples; we shall not die. " And so they continue.

C -- LOVING APPEAL OF JESUS

11.
Dear Brethren, remember that our beloved Jesus has His eyes upon you at
this moment, addressing you individually: "See how almost everybody
leaves Me practically alone on the royal road of the Cross. Blind
idol-worshipers sneer at My Cross and brand it folly. Obstinate Jews
are scandalised at the sight of it as at some monstrosity (1 Cor. 1,
23). Heretics tear it down and break it to pieces out of sheer
contempt. But one thing I cannot say without My eyes filling with tears
and My heart being pierced with grief is that the very children I
nourished in My bosom and trained in My school, the very members I
quickened with My spirit have turned against Me, forsaken Me and joined
the ranks of the enemies of My Cross (Is. 1, 2; Phil. 3, 18). Would you
also leave Me? (John 6, 68). Would you also forsake me and flee from My
Cross, like the worldlings, who are acting as so many Anti-Christs? (1
John 2, 12). Would you subscribe to the standards of the day (Rom. 12,
2), despise the poverty of My Cross and go in quest of riches; shun the
sufferings connected with My Cross, to run after pleasure; spurn the
humiliations that must be borne with My Cross, and pursue worldly
honours? There are many who pretend that they are friends of Mine and
love Me but in reality they hate Me because they have no love for My
Cross. I have many friends of My table, but few indeed of My Cross. "
(Imitation of Jesus Christ, Book 2, Chap. 11. )

12.
In answer to the gracious invitation which Jesus extends, let us rise
above ourselves. Let us not, like Eve, listen to the insidious
suggestion of sense. Let us look up to the unique Author and Finisher
of our faith, Jesus crucified (Heb. 12, 2). Let us fly from the
corrupting concupiscence and enticements of a corrupt world (2 Pet. 1,
4). Let us love Jesus in the right way, standing by Him through the
heaviest of crosses. Let us meditate seriously on these remarkable
words of our beloved Master which sum up the Christian life in its
perfection: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matt. 16, 24).