The Royal Road of the Holy Cross

Why, then, do you fear to take up the cross when through it you can enter the kingdom?

In the cross is salvation, in the cross is life, in the cross is protection from enemies, in the cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the cross is strength of mind, in the cross is joy of spirit, in the cross is highest virtue, in the cross is perfect holiness. There is no salvation of soul nor hope of everlasting life but in the cross. Take up your cross, therefore, and follow Jesus, and you shall enter eternal life! He Himself opened the way before you in carrying His cross, and upon it He died for you that you, too, might take up your cross and long to die upon it. If you die with Him, you shall also live with Him, and if you share His suffering, you shall also share His glory.

Behold, in the cross is everything, and everything depends upon your dying on the cross. There is no other way to life and to true inward peace than the way of the holy cross and daily mortification. Go where you will, seek what you will, you will not find a higher way, nor a less exalted but safer way, than the way of the holy cross.

If you carry the cross willingly, it will carry and lead you to the desired goal. If you cast away one cross, you will find another and perhaps a heavier one. It is not in the virtue of man to carry the cross, to love the cross, to resist the appetites of the body and bring in absolute subjection, to shun honours, to endure affronts gladly, to be content to be despised by others, to bear with calm resignation the loss of fortune, to suffer any adversity and loss, to desire no prosperous days on earth—this is not man’s way. If you rely upon yourself, you can do none of these things, but if you trust in the Lord, strength will be given you from heaven, and the world and the flesh will be made subject to your dominion. You will not even fear your enemy, the devil, if you are armed with faith and signed with the cross of Christ.

When you shall have come to the point where suffering is sweet and welcome for the sake of Christ, then consider yourself fortunate, for you have found paradise on earth. But as long as suffering is burdensome to you and you seek to escape it, so long will you be troubled, and the tribulation you seek to evade will follow you wherever you go. If, indeed, there were anything better or more useful for man’s salvation than suffering, Christ would have shown it by word and example. But He clearly exhorts the disciples and all who wish to follow Him to carry the cross, saying: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23. When, therefore, we have read and searched all that has been written, let this be the final conclusion—“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22.