Sermon Preached on the Third Sunday of Great Lent
Preaching in the Russian Church; Lectures and Sermons by a Priest of the Holy Orthodox Church: Chapter X
“Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark, viii. 34.)
This third Sunday of Great Lent is the first day of the Holy Cross week. In the midst of this holy season, the Church allows her children to taste of the sweetness of the tree. In the course of his forty days’ journey over the solitary wilderness of penance, the weary wayfarer comes to a tree, its shade inviting, its fruit beneficial. He throws off his burden, with composure and confidence he nestles at the foot of the wood, and is refreshed. And this is just what the Church of God prepares for the sincere followers of Jesus Christ. Were we capable of understanding the Almighty’s plan, carried out by the Church for our salvation, what consolation and benefit, both spiritual and temporal, would be ours.
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. This is what Jesus said to the multitude that followed him. They followed Him, some from curiosity, anxious to see a miracle performed, others in earnest, eager to listen to the words that came from the lips of Him, who taught as one having the power, while there were those which followed in humble obedience, grateful for the charity bestowed on them, or on their loved ones, by the Prophet of Nazareth, and, alas! there were some that dogged every step of this Good Shepherd, who led his human flock over the green hills of Galilee, or quenched their thirst with living water down in the valley of Jordan, spies—which were to take Him and put Him to a horrible death—nailing Him hands and feet to a crossed wood. As he turned toward the people He addressed them, saying: For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels (Mark, viii. 36, 38).
Jesus has nowadays many followers desirous of consolation, but few of tribulation. All desire to rejoice with Him, few are willing to endure anything for Him. Many reverence His miracles, few follow the ignominy of His cross.
What cross is it which our Lord would have us bear? Hardships, sickness, slander, persecutions, poverty, desertion of friends, the heavy cares of public responsibility, yea—and death itself. We may for a time be forsaken of God; sometimes we are troubled by our neighbors, yea—and by those whom we love dearly; and what is more, oftentimes we may even become weary of ourselves. If Christ bore the cross for all mankind, Christians are expected to help carry the cross of at least some of their neighbors. But how? By bearing in patience the failings and weakness of our neighbor. By not becoming ill-tempered when a brother or sister sets forth his or her opinion as to this or that. By hushing the serpent’s hiss of envy, and showing sympathy and gladness when one either above or beneath us proves himself worthy of public praise, though we ourselves may not be so much as noticed. By denying ourselves the wicked pleasure of making jest of a soul which goes about acting strangely, and especially when we do not understand nor see plainly the results of such conduct. By denying ourselves the luxuries which may supply the want of many who suffer misery.
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me (Mark, viii. 34). O how powerful is the pure love of Jesus, which is mixed with no self-interest, with no self-love! Are not those to be called mercenary who are ever seeking consolations? The Holy Fathers of the Church tell us that “such are lovers of themselves, but not of Christ. Where shall one be found, the Holy Fathers continue, who is willing to serve God for naught?” In their great fervor to serve, in their deep and vast love for God, the Holy Fathers had not noticed how they themselves were growing into perfection by following our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, in their persons and lives, we have many types and good examples unto the salvation of our souls; yea, and unto the salvation of the world. And so we must lose all that which unites us to this world that is passing away. If we link our life with and make it one with that of the common animal, subject our reason to vain pursuits and the better qualities of our spirit to passions of the flesh, then we lose our life, for dust will go to dust. But whosoever shall lose his life for the sake of Christ and the Gospel, the same shall save it; i.e., he who is dead to self, when one becomes separated from the principles which make one long for the pleasure and desire of this world’s life, in which there is no thought for eternity, the same shall save his life, though he seemingly perish in discomfort and suffer banishment at the hands of a self-idolizing society, for he lives through Christ and the Gospel with the spiritual life which never grows old and is everlasting.
During the whole of this week, the Church is continually reminding us of the cross. And many a weary soul is sighing for rest. Shall my burden be lessened? There seems to be for some no end to sickness. The cares of duty are constant and heavy. There are those which cannot find a friend who could understand their inmost soul and soothe their troubled conscience. Oh! that God would give me that inward peace, they cry without faith and in despair. Deny yourself all passions which are prompted by selfish motives and by interests, which will pass away as the light of day is lost in the darkness of night; deny these passions all gratification whatever. What a hard lot! you might say. The circumstances surrounding our lives are very pressing. What will people say? We must keep up with the rest of the world. We are in a pitiable condition. No one should criticize us. We should be left to do as we please. But the Church says we must give up the pleasure of being even a little ambitious. Yes, the Church of Christ says: Forsake all false ambition. Christians, be not discouraged. The Infinite Wisdom itself watches over your salvation. In selfishly moping over our own woes, over our little cross, have we forgotten the Cross of Christ? The Church, then, will remind us of it.
This week is set aside for the worship of the Here is the tree of life. The cross that our Lord Jesus Christ carried to Mount Calvary and made it an altar, on which He offered himself up to God the Father as a sacrifice. Let us come to the shade of this tree and rest. This wood has been planted for our own benefit. Let us in holy meditation bring to our mind the suffering of that bleeding form outstretched above us, although it is difficult and for some impossible to feel for one moment the anguish of that cross, borne all the weary way from Bethlehem; then our little crosses, which we have merited by our sins, will not be a yoke of thorns, but an altar on which we may offer up to God our love. Our course is not finished. The road lies before us. Lent is still in season. Now, while we enjoy the protection of the cross, let us also supply ourselves with strength, i.e., the Grace of God, for the journey is not finished and the way is so uncertain. Let us refresh and strengthen ourselves with a supply of the fruit of the wood. The fruit is the flesh and blood of our Savior, who was sacrificed in order to appease the righteous wrath of the Infinite God for the sins of all mankind, beginning with the disobedience of Adam. Shall not our Creator receive us when we humbly and gratefully come to Him together with His infinitely beloved, His Only-begotten, as the Light which is of Light, His Son Jesus Christ?
Christians, ye who come to this tree, go not away without tasting of its sweet fruit. Our Holy Church brings us this week to the cross to be refreshed by renewing our spirit so that our own cross be not a burden but a blessing. Do we forget our duty towards our Mother Church? Yes, unfortunately, some do. May we not let go unheeded the advice of the parent, which has given us birth in baptism for a new life, but come to the foot of the cross and cast off our yoke of sins, be absolved of all that which is impure and wicked, either in thought, or in desire, or in deed, by confession, and in holy communion with Jesus Christ be reconciled to God. Amen.
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