From the time our sweet Jesus lifted the life-giving wood of the precious Cross on His immaculate shoulders and was hanged upon it, from that time and throughout the ages, lifting the cross is continued by His followers in the form of various afflictions and trials, through which the Christian triumphs over the many forms of destructive self-love.
Through Luke the Evangelist, the Savior stresses that “whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” 1 And again: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” 2
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1 Lk. 14:27
2 Lk. 9:23
From the book
Councels from the Holy mountain
Selected from the letters and homilies of Elder Efraim of Arizon
subm. no. 17
paragraphs: 2 , 5, 6 from pages 38, 44
Selection of passages from the book by Silviu Podariu
The precious Cross – Εlder Efraim of Arizona
