Vigils Reading – 24th Sunday

FOLLOWING CHRIST

From a commentary by Caesarius of Arles1

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When the Lord tells us in the gospel that anyone who wants to be his

follower must renounce himself, the injunction seems harsh; we think he is

imposing a burden on us. But an order is no burden when it is given by one who

helps in carrying it out.

To what place are we to follow Christ if not where he has already gone?

We know that he has risen and ascended into heaven: there, then, we must

follow him. There is no cause for despair – by ourselves we can do nothing, but

we have Christ’s promise. Heaven was beyond our reach before our Head

ascended there, but now, if we are his members, why should we despair of

arriving there ourselves? Is there any reason? True, many fears and afflictions

confront us in this world, but if we follow Christ, we shall reach a place of perfect

happiness, perfect peace, and everlasting freedom from fear.

Yet let me warn anyone bent on following Christ to listen to Saint Paul:

One who claims to abide in Christ ought to walk as he walked. Then be humble

as he was humble, do not scorn his lowliness if you want to reach his exaltation.

Human sin made the road rough but Christ’s resurrection leveled it; by passing

over it himself he transformed the narrowest of tracks into a royal highway.

Two feet are needed to run along this highway; they are humility and

charity. Everyone wants to get to the top – well, the first step to take is humility.

Why take strides that are too big for you – do you want to fall instead of going

up? Begin with the first step, humility, and you will already be climbing.3

As well as telling us to renounce ourselves, our Lord and Savior said that

we must take up the cross and follow him. What does it mean to take up one’s

cross? Bearing every annoyance patiently. That is following Christ. When

someone begins to follow his way of life and his commandments, that person

will meet resistance on every side. He or she will be opposed, mocked, even

persecuted, and this not only by unbelievers, but also by people who to all

appearances belong to the body of Christ, though they are really excluded from

it by their wickedness people who, being Christians in name only, never stop

persecuting true Christians.

If you want to follow Christ, then take up his cross without delay. Endure

injuries, do not be overcome by them. If we would fulfill the Lord’s command:

If anyone wants to be my disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me; we

must strive with God’s help to do as the Apostle says: As long as we have food

and clothing, let this content us. Otherwise, if we seek more material goods than

we need and desire to become rich, we may fall prey to temptation. The devil

may trick us into wanting the many useless and harmful things that plunge

people into ruin and destruction. May we be free from this temptation through

the protection of our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy

Spirit for ever and ever.