Homily One on the Third Sunday of Great Lent
On Carrying Your Cross
By St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
On Carrying Your Cross
By St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
"Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mk. 8:34), said the Lord to his disciples, calling them unto Him, as we heard today in the Gospels.
Dear brothers and sisters! We too are disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, because we are Christians. We too are called unto the Lord, to this holy temple, to hear His teaching. We stand before the face of the Lord. His gaze is directed at us. Our souls are laid bare before Him; our secret thoughts and hidden feelings are open to Him. He sees all of our intentions; He sees the truth, and the sins we have committed from our youth; He sees our whole life, past and future; even what we have not yet done is already written in His book. He knows the hour of our passing into immeasurable eternity, and gives us His all-holy commandment for our salvation: "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
