The Saints and the Cross
Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, having lived close to the time of Jesus` earthly life, on his way to martyrdom, gives a literal interpretation to the words take up your cross, and writes to the Romans: “Beg only that I may be a Christian not merely in name but in fact…I shall be really a disciple of Jesus Christ if and when the world can hardly any longer recognize my body…I am now beginning to be a disciple: may nothing visible or invisible prevent me from reaching Jesus Christ. Fire and Cross and battling with wild beasts, their clawing and tearing, the breaking of bones and mangling of members, the grinding of my whole body, the wicked torments of the devil-let all assail me, so long as a I get to Jesus Christ…Believe what I am writing to you now. For alive as I am at this moment of writing, my longing is for death. Desire within me has been nailed to the Cross and no flame of material longing is left. Only the living water speaks within me saying: ‘Hasten to the Father.’”
The saints, who are fulfilled Christians, understood the secret, the value of the Cross. This is echoed by St. Grignion de Montfort when he assert, “While awaiting the great day of his triumph at the last judgment, wisdom wishes the cross to be the distinctive sign and armour of all the elect…in fact, he does not welcome any child without the Cross as their distinctive sign, nor does he accept disciples that are not wearing it on their foreheads without blushing, on their hearts without aversion, and on their shoulders without refusing it or just dragging it along…”
He accepts no soldier if he does not take up the cross as his weapon of defence and attack, to rout and flatten every enemy. To them he cries out: ‘Be courageous! I have conquered the world.’ ( John 16:33)…I your leader have overcome my enemies with the Cross, and you will too, by means of this sign!’ This is exactly what Emperor Constantine saw on the sky with the inscription, ‘ by this sign you shall conquer’.
If and only if our generation identifies itself with the Most Holy Cross of Jesus Christ, shall we conquer the evils in our time.
Wishing you victory by this sign of our salvation.
By Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje
+254708607911
No comments:
Post a Comment