The ways of the Lord

Jesus preached to the poor. He died poor. He suffered for us the ignominious death on the cross. Yet His was the way that brought salvation.

The ideologists say: “Be tough, radical and clench-fisted.” The Christian: “Be not overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.”

And we must do no less because He had said: “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself, take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk. 9:23). This too is the way of all the saints who hold the palm of victory, because humbly they carried their cross every day of their lives. Read the lives of saints and see if you can point to even one who was just sitting pretty, doing no sacrifice at all. Even the act of true Christian love is itself sacrifice.

St. Paul describes it as: “Love is humble, patient and forgiving” (1 Cor. 13:4). The ideologists say: “Be tough, radical and clench-fisted.” The Christian: “Be not overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). Check it up. Whom has the Lord exalted: the proud or the humble?