“What, like, is he suffering? Does not know that if God to him the cross is given? A cross can not afford does not happen” – why are these words about the suffering of others so comfortable and blasphemous – the sermon of Archpriest Alexander Abramov in a week the 18th after Pentecost, the Exaltation of the cross.
Photo: more-photo.ru
- Life as suffering or life as pleasure?
- What does it mean to “carry your cross” and do I have to suffer?
- Your cross
- Take up your cross
- I have loved the suffering
- What does it mean to bear your cross? [Audio]
- Not suffering more than life
- How to find out if we carry your cross?
- It’s hard for us to bear the cross? Why did we reject the help?
Who wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man, when he cometh in the glory of His Father with the Holy Angels. And he said to them: verily I say unto you, there be some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God come with power.
MK. 8: 34 — 9: 1
The gospel of Mark that we hear the gospel Week after the Holy cross, says that Christ should be followed, taking up your cross. The cross in the history of mankind was destined to a very serious and strange role.
In the pre-state era of Christianity, the cross was a symbol of reproach, shameful execution. You would expect that with the widespread adoption of Christianity, the cross will be surrounded by veneration and respect. But with no less enthusiasm than the pagans of past centuries, the cross was subjected to reproach the Christians themselves.
No Christian symbol, no sign of belonging to our faith in Christ becomes not so argue, as the cross.
Popular place in the conversation of Christians among themselves become ridiculous phrase, “my cross to bear… It must be my cross to bear…” And close by — our reasoning about what is not given to cross. The arguments that have, as a rule, its subject is not ourselves but someone else. That, they say, he suffers from? Does not know that if God to him the cross is given? A cross can not afford not exist. Very convenient to shut out this formula from someone else’s misfortune. Convenient and blasphemous.
The Lord does not give us suffering. It is impossible to imagine that Christ calmly and even with some satisfaction — “and it is necessary to fallen mankind” — watching human suffering, and even sent them, have tested us on the break.
He does not need to experience. He knows that the human composition is very fragile. That the film of Christianity, decency and civility each of us is very thin. All know about this Christ. Everything was known to Him even before His incarnation from the most pure virgin. And does not the Christ of the cross.
True: Christ gives the cross. Does not! He takes the cross, He carries it for every man. And when he says: “whosoever will come after Me, Yes, take up his cross” — has in mind is completely different. First nesnosnogo of our nature, our tendency to sin. This is something that we are bursting from the inside. What crucifies us, our good soul. And in this same passage of the gospel is not a promise of endless difficulties and challenges, through which, as through barriers will have to cross. Otherwise the promise it contained, “Truly I tell you, some standing here will see the Kingdom of heaven manifested in power.”
What want people to pileati, so he will be. He wants the incessant whining and focus on their problems, sores, and will be forever weak. Do not give Christ trust and friendship — and depart the Savior, will not knock. Yes, the hard life of the human, many each of us has its own, sometimes seemingly completely intractable difficulties. But not Christ introduced them into our lives. Not Christ sends us illness.
The sin of man, condensing in the world, he sends us pain. And he raises Christ to the cross. Unnatural for a Christian is smirennaya: “that’s sick, so be it. The Will Of God!” And of course: “God is inside all pain, suffering, death, the forthcoming me, I’m Yours! Deprive me not of Your Kingdom. Do not deprive me of Your friendship. Deprive me not of His companionship. What I can do. And You strengthen me. You give me strength to do what I needed, and transfer that to me hard”.
From the book “whosoever will may come. Conversations on Sundays and feast the gospel reading,” published in the publishing house “Nike”.