22
nd
Week After Pentecost Á-? TUESDAY
T
ODAY
Á-?
S
READINGS
,
FOLLOWED
BY
A
FEW
PASTORAL
&
PERSONAL
THOUGHTS
.
Colossians 2:20-3:3 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of
the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21
(Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22
Which all are to perish with the using;) after
the commandments and doctrines of men?
23
Which things have indeed a shew
of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any
honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
1
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those
things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2
Set your
affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3
For ye are dead, and
your life is hid with Christ in God.
Luke 9:23-27 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24
For whosoever will
save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same
shall save it.
25
For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and
lose himself, or be cast away?
26
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of
my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his
own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.
27
But I tell you of a truth,
there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the
kingdom of God.
Luke 9:23-27 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
It is interesting how one little word can really strengthen a thought. In this verse, the word DAILY stands out brightly as a challenge and a
reminder. I have spoken many times about how the scripture can be used as a sort of mnemonic device (something which helps us
remember the right way to think, act and live). It would be good to check ourselves DAILY: are we taking up our cross, or are we just going
through our daily routine without thought, effort or purpose? Indeed, it would be good at least hourly to check on how we are bearing our
cross this day, if indeed we are struggling at all.
A similar reading from St Mark is used on the 3
rd
Sunday of Great Lent (Mark 8:34-9:1).
One cannot understand what the Lord is saying unless he understands what he should deny for himself, and what the talking up of the cross
means. This cannot be understood unless there is effort in the Christian life.
There have been many false interpretations of our LordÁ-?s command. Various heresies have taught that we must deny ourselves all pleasure
or even cause ourselves pain and suffering (since, in taking up our cross, we must suffer as our Lord did on His cross) in order to be saved.
Many have left the LordÁ-?s company, like those who heard His teaching about being the bread of life, because this command seemed
incomprehensible and too difficult for them.
Á-°Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? Á-¬ 66 From
that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.Á-? John 6:60.66
All of the commands of our Lord can be understood only if they are followed. This is partially counter-intuitive to the mind of man. We tend to
do something only after we have investigated it, and understood at least a little about it. At first, one must struggle to deny oneself
pleasurable things, such as indulgence of the flesh, luxury and ease, but as one grows in the Christian life, he sees that the things which