The reproach of Christ on the part of the senseless is the Cross. Paul himself again says of Christ that He “endured the Cross, despising the shame” (Heb 12:2).
Before Christ came, Moses himself very clearly prefigured Him, the form of the Cross, and salvation through that form. He set the rod upright, stretched out his hands upon it, and thus presented himself on the rod in the form of the Cross. In this way he utterly put Amalek to flight.
Likewise, he placed the bronze serpent upon a standard crosswise. By raising up the form of the Cross publicly in this way, he commanded those among the Jews who had been bitten to look upon it as upon the Savior Himself. Thus he healed the bites of the serpents.
Time would fail me to tell of Joshua and those after him, the Judges and Prophets, David and those after him. Through the action of the mystery of the Cross they restrained rivers, stopped the sun, destroyed impious cities, and gained victories in war.
They drove away foreign armies, escaped the edge of the sword, quenched the power of fire, stopped the mouths of lions, overcame kings, burned up captains of fifty, and raised the dead.
In a word, they shut the heavens and opened them again. They made the clouds in heaven barren of rain, and afterward made them fruitful. For if Paul says that faith accomplished all this, the power of faith is unto salvation. Therefore all things are possible to him who believes.
This, then, is what the Cross of Christ certainly is for believers. “The word of the Cross,” to speak again with the lips of Paul, “is foolishness to those who perish, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18).
But so that we may admit among those saved by the power of the Cross all who lived in Old Testament times, both before the Law and under the Law, did not Christ Himself say before the Cross had come?
He through Whom and in Whom are all things said, “He who does not take up his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (Mt 10:38). Do you see that even before the Cross was to be planted, the Cross was already saving?
So also when the Lord openly foretold His Passion and death by the Cross to His disciples, Peter heard it and could not restrain himself. Knowing that this was in His power, he entreated Him and said, “Be merciful to Yourself, Lord. This shall not happen to You” (Mt 16:22).
Then the Lord rebuked him as one who thought concerning Him “the things of men, and not the things of God.” After calling the people together with His disciples, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
For whoever desires to save his soul will lose it, but whoever loses his soul for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it” (Mk 8:34-35).
Therefore He summons the people together with the disciples. Then He testifies and proclaims those great thoughts, surpassing nature and truly not human but divine.
He does this to show that this is required not only of His chosen disciples, but of everyone who believes in Him. To follow Christ means to live according to His Gospel, displaying every virtue and piety.
Whoever desires to follow Him must deny himself, take up his cross, and no longer spare himself. If the time calls, he must be ready even for a shameful death for the sake of virtue and the truth of the divine dogmas.
To deny oneself and surrender oneself to extreme dishonor and death is great and above nature. Yet it is not unjust. For do not earthly kings count worthy to follow them, especially when they go to war, only those ready to die for them?
What, then, is astonishing if the King of Heaven, Who according to the promise dwelt on earth for battle against the common enemy of mankind, seeks that people of this kind follow Him?
Earthly kings cannot restore life to those slain in war. They cannot even remotely reward those who have laid down their life for them. What will a man who is no longer in life receive from them?
Yet even for them, if it happens that they lay down their life for pious kings, there is hope in the Lord. But to those who, in following Him, have exposed their life to danger, the Lord gives eternal life.
Earthly kings seek that those around them be ready to die for them. But the Lord gave Himself over to death for us. He exhorts us to be ready for death not for His sake, but for our own.
Showing that this is for our own sake, He adds, “For whoever desires to save his soul will lose it, but whoever loses his soul for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it.”
What do these words mean: “Whoever desires to save it will lose it, and whoever loses it will save it”? Man is twofold: the outer man, by which I mean the body, and our inner man, the soul.
Therefore, when our outer man gives himself over to death, by this he loses his soul which dwells in him. But when he loses it in this way for Christ and for the Gospel, then truly he will save and gain it.
He will provide it with heavenly and eternal life. In the general resurrection, having it as such, he himself also, I mean even according to the flesh, will become heavenly and eternal through it.
But he who loves his soul, and because of love for this temporary age and for the things belonging to it is not ready to lose it in this way, will harm his soul.
He will deprive it of true life and will himself be punished with it. Alas, he will surrender it to eternal torment.
As if lamenting such a man and showing the full terror of his state, the all-merciful Master says, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mt 16:26).
For his glory will not go down with him into the grave, nor any other honor or delight esteemed in this age. He preferred these things to the death that would have saved his soul for Christ and the Gospel.
What thing could he find among the things of this age as a ransom for the rational soul, for which even the whole world is not equal?
Therefore, brothers, if someone could gain the whole world, it would bring him no profit if he harmed his soul. How much more terrible is it when someone can gain only some tiny, smallest part of this world.
If because of attachment to that least thing he harms his soul, then he has failed to prefer taking up the Cross, both in form and in meaning, and following the Giver of life.
For the Cross itself is worthy of veneration, and so is the meaning of this form. We have already spoken about the meaning and mystery of this form, and explained it to your love.
Or rather, Paul explained it before us. Boasting in the Cross, he judged that he knew nothing except the Lord Jesus, and Him crucified. What, then, does he say? “The Cross is the crucifixion of the flesh with its passions and desires” (cf. Gal 5:24).
Do you think he says this only concerning pleasures and impure passions of the flesh? Why, then, does he write to the Corinthians, “Since there are disputes among you, you are still carnal” (1 Cor 3:3)?
Thus one who loves glory, or simply wishes to insist on his own will and thereby prevail in rivalry, is carnal and walks according to the flesh. For this is why quarrels occur.
James, the Brother of God, also says, “Where do wars and fights among you come from? Do they not come from your pleasures that wage war in your members? You desire, and do not have. You murder and envy, and cannot obtain. You quarrel and fight” (Jas 4:1-2).
Therefore, to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires means this: a man becomes inactive toward everything displeasing to God. If the body drags him down and insists on its own will, each person must strive to raise it to the height of the Cross.
What do I mean? When the Lord was on earth, He lived the life of a poor man. He not only lived in this way, but also preached it, saying, “Whoever does not renounce all his possessions cannot be My disciple” (Lk 14:33).
But let no one grieve, brothers, I beseech you, when he hears us proclaiming without evasion the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. Let him not be troubled, supposing that these commandments are impossible.
Rather, let him first understand that the Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force, and those who use force seize it. Let him hear Peter, the chief of Christ’s Apostles, saying, “Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps” (1 Pet 2:21).
Then let him weigh this justly. Although the disciple truly remains debtor to the teacher until he has paid everything, still, if he modestly offers what he can and sets it apart, he should humble himself before him regarding what remains unpaid.
Because of this humility, he draws compassion toward himself, and by it he supplies what is lacking. Therefore, if someone sees that his manner of thought is directed toward wealth and many possessions, let him know that his mind is carnal.
Let this be an occasion for awakening. For one who is nailed to the Cross cannot have impulses toward such things. Therefore he must ascend to the height of the Cross, lest by casting himself down he be separated from Christ crucified upon it.
But how shall he begin to ascend to the height of the Cross? Having hope in Christ, the Provider and Nourisher of all, let him renounce every income that comes unjustly.
As for resources obtained in a righteous way, let him not be too attached even to these. Let him use them nobly, according to his strength making the needy participants in them.
For although the commandment prescribes that one renounce the body and take up his cross, those who are God’s and live according to God have possessions in their keeping.
They do not cling to them excessively, but use them according to need, as a kind of fellow worker. They are ready, if the time calls, to reject them also.
Therefore, whoever acts in this way regarding material acquisitions and needs, when he is not capable of something greater, still possesses in a pious and God-pleasing manner.
Next, does someone see in himself a fiercely warring thought of fornication? Let him know that he has not yet crucified himself. How, then, shall he crucify himself?
Let him flee curious gazes at women, improper closeness with them, and unsuitable conversations. Let him lessen the material that feeds desire.
Let him not allow excessive use of wine, drunkenness, gluttony, or much sleep. With this removal from evil, let him also add humility of mind, calling upon God for help against the passions with a contrite heart.
Then he too will say, “I saw the ungodly exalted and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon. And I passed by, and behold, he was not. I sought him,” in prayer and humility, “and his place was not found in me” (Ps 36:36).
That is, the passions were exalted and mighty like the cedars of Lebanon. But behold, God destroyed them, and no trace remained. In prayer and humble contrition of spirit I searched my soul, and found in it no trace of the former passions.
Next, does a vainglorious thought trouble you? Then privately, before the tribunal of your conscience, call to mind the Lord’s counsel about this in the Gospel.
It says: do not seek to show yourself superior to others. Whatever virtues you have, practice them in secret, looking only to God and being seen by Him alone. Then your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you openly.
If, even after you have struck a decisive blow against the causes of each passion, an inward thought troubles you again, do not be afraid. Let it become for you an occasion for receiving crowns.
For it no longer persuades or acts. It is only a powerless movement, already defeated in your struggle in God.
This is “the word of the Cross.” Being of this kind, it is truly a great and divine mystery, not only among the Prophets before its accomplishment, but also now after its accomplishment.
How is this so? Outwardly, it seems that one who does not exalt himself and humbles himself in everything brings dishonor upon himself.
THEOSIS