“If any want to become my followers, let them
deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
This gospel passage has always
seemed problematical to me. On the one hand it seems to invite, even encourage,
a martyr outlook or an extreme desert hermit monasticism. On the other hand it
seems so problematical as to be dismissed as one of those things we can never understand.
But in a classically Anglican way, the middle way as we have understood it since the 16th Century, there are other ways to look at it.
A wise old man once reflected on his long
life and said this about himself:
I was a revolutionary when I was young
And all my prayer to God was:
"Lord, give me the energy to change the world."
As I approached middle age
and realized that my life was half gone
without my changing a single soul,
I changed my prayer to:
"Lord, give me the grace to change
all those who come into contact with me.
Just my family and friends and I will be satisfied."
Now that I am an old man
and my days are numbered,
I have begun to see how foolish I
have been.
My one prayer now is:
"Lord, give me the grace to change myself.”
If I had prayed this right from the start,
I would have not wasted my life. (1)
“If any want to become
my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
As the earth around us changes from the cold of winter to the warmth of springtime, surely it is possible to change
ourselves: to change any coldness of self-righteousness and self interest – or anything else that needs to
be changed -- into the warmth of humble love, compassion and forgiveness. The
same life and love of God exists within us that existed within Jesus. And we
can help transform and re-shape our world in hope, justice and peace. (2)
And another piece of old wisdom that still rings true for our present times:
"People are often unreasonable, illogical,
and self centered; forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you
of being selfish, or having ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat
you. Be honest and frank anyway. What
you spend years building someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness they may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today people will often forget
tomorrow. o good anyway. Give the
world the best you have and know it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
You see...in the final analysis, it's between you and your God. It was never
between you and them anyway." (3)
Wise words to live by! Also a good description of what happens in life and,
on a smaller scale, even in our own church families. People are always going
to be people and have very human reactions and emotions. That is no reason not to keep doing the right thing ourselves. (4)
“If any want to become my followers,
let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
And finally, this: A man’s car once stalled in heavy traffic just
as the stop light turned green. No matter what he did or how hard he tried, he
couldn’t get the motor running again. The cars behind him began to honk
and honk, blowing their horns without stopping.
Feeling just as frustrated as all those other drivers trying to get home or to whatever destination, he got out of
his car and walked over the first driver behind him. This driver had been leaning
on his horn in one continuous blare. The man said to this driver, “I’m
really sorry that I can’t get my car started no matter what I do. But if
you will go up there and see if you can start it, I will stay here and blow the horn for you.” (5)
“If any want to become my followers, let them
deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
AMEN
1. Paul J. Wharton, Stories and Parables for Preachers and Teachers. as quoted
in Connections, 8 February 1997, pp. 3- 4
2. Connections, 8 February
1997, p. 4
3. Author unknown, from the
Abingdon Acolyte, March 2009, p. 3
4. Joan Myles, Outreach Corner, The
Abingdon Acolyte, March 2009, p. 3
5. God’s Little
Devotional Book, p. 31
