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 CHAPTER 7

The Cross and True Riches

The path through life to Heaven is often Christianity. As a result of original sin, it is
compared to climbing a mountain, and the necessary for us to put to death in ourselves
mountain-top is Heaven, God’s holy moun­ a certain way of living which St. Paul calls
tain. In Psalm 43, the pilgrim on life’s journey “the old man” and to put on “the new man”,
cries out to God: Jesus.
The old man is Adam, who misused the
O send forth your light and your truth;
gifts of God and so brought sin and disorder
let these be my guide!
into the world. As you know, this sin is passed
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
on to us as Adam’s children. We are bom in
to the place where you dwell.
the state of original sin. Through Baptism we
Christ our Savior offers us a way that will are given the life of grace, but original sin has
lead to peace, joy, and our final goal of total left in us many wounds and disorders. These
happiness with God. The way that leads to this wounds can only be healed by a lifetime of
wonderful state of perfection, or holiness, is right living, prayer, and self-denial.
based on Jesus’ words: “Whoever wishes to be This is not always easy. When Jesus asks us
my follower must deny his very self, take up to love our enemy and to do good to those who
his cross each day, and follow in my steps.” hurt us, he is not asking us to do something that
(Lk 9:23) comes naturally or easily. But, by the power of
Self-denial may mean doing something we God, it is not impossible. For with God “all
would rather not do or refusing some pleasure things are possible”. (Mt 19:26)
we would like: for example, taking time to The Cross sums up all the things which,
help your brother with his fractions or giving naturally speaking, are most distasteful to us,
up dessert sometimes. An example on a deeper such as a penance we choose for ourselves or a
level is giving your schoolwork your best ef­ suffering that God allows in our life—perhaps an
fort, although it may not be easy and you may enemy at school or some sickness—permitted
have to give up much of your free time to do for our good or the good of others, though we
it. Your schoolwork (or perhaps a particular may not be able to see it at the time.
subject) may take on the nature of a cross, Bearing the crosses (that is, trials and dif-
especially if it is difficult.
Now we have come to a great mystery—the “God loves a cheerful giver.”
doctrine of the Cross. It is the principal sign of (2 Corinthians 9:7)
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 faculties) which we do not choose but which
to practice some kind of self-denial, and the
come to us anyhow in the course of life is a bishops advise us to make Friday a day of
most perfect kind of self-denial, more pleasing
abstinence all year round.
to God than the acts of self-denial we choose
Fasting, in general, means not eating at all.
for ourselves. For in all things it is most perfect
When the Church requires us to fast, however,
to accept the will of God, especially when we
it means that only one full meal a day should be
do not like it very much. Jesus’ entire life was
eaten. In addition, two smaller meals may be
one of obedience to the will of the Father, no
taken, but those taken together should not equal
matter how hard it was or what it required of another full meal. In the Church, there are two
him, even his death. "Father, if it is your will,
days of required fasting: Ash Wednesday and
take this cup from me: yet not my will but
Good Friday. This applies to anyone eighteen
yours be done.” (Lk 22:42) to sixty years old.
And why are we willing to set out on such a
way of life? In following the example of Jesus
we are showing our love for God by willingly Penitential Seasons
and, yes, even cheerfully accepting whatever
Advent and Lent are special seasons in the
he pennits.
Church year in which we are reminded to
renew our spirit. They are called penitential
Fast and Abstinence seasons.
Advent begins four Sundays before Christ­
We are encouraged to choose some penance
mas and is a season of special preparation for
for ourselves. To help us, the Church requires
the birth of Christ. The Church suggests that
us to fast and to abstain from certain foods on we do some form of penance as part of this
penitential days. To abstain, in this case, preparation.
means not to eat meat. If we are fourteen years The season of Lent begins six and a half
old or more, we must abstain from meat on weeks before Easter and is a season of prepa­
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. ration for the Passion, death, and Resurrection
In the United States, the bishops have fur­
of the Lord. Just as Jesus fasted for forty days,
ther declared abstinence from meat on all Fri­
we too take on some penance during Lent to
days of Lent. In other seasons, Friday remains
make up for our sins and to prepare our hearts
a day of penance on which we are supposed
to celebrate the great Easter feast.

“When you fast, you are not to look glum as the hypocrites do. They change the
appearance of their faces so that others may see they are fasting. . . . When you
fast, see to it that you groom your hair and wash your face. In that way no one can
see you are fasting but your Father who is hidden; and your Father who sees what
is hidden will reward you.”

L_ (Matthew 6:16—18)

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 St. Paul compares the spiritual life to a race turning from fun to duties at the proper time,
and the Christian to an athlete. not overeating and the like. Nor are we ex­
Like an athlete, the Christian is asked to pected to make life one big penance with no
practice certain spiritual exercises. If an ath­ pleasures. After all, it is God who created the
lete will give up a great deal just to train for a things in which we find pleasure. But, like a
race, how much more should we Christians be good athlete, we must keep an eye on the
ready to practice self-denial for the sake of the coach—Jesus—and not forget ourselves and
Kingdom of God! break training.
Besides, what the athlete gives up in training Penance, therefore, makes up for past sin
is not always so great, and his self-discipline and helps prevent future sin. It helps eliminate
is often very satisfying, invigorating, and those things that take us away from God or are
enjoyable. His muscle tone, increased skill, and obstacles to our final goal—union with God in
sense of well-being make it all worthwhile. his Kingdom.
It is the same way with the Kingdom of God.
The Cross does not always stand for something Words to Know:
great and awful. It can include many little
things which make up our daily lives, such as self-denial penance fasting
not having our way, forgiving an unkind word, abstinence Advent Lent

DRmles of Fast anti Abstinence

— The days and times of penance for the universal Church are each Friday of the
whole year and the season of Lent.
— Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good
Friday. Abstinence is to be observed on all the Fridays during Lent.
— The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year.
The law of fasting binds those who have attained their twenty-first year,
until the beginning of their sixtieth year.

Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous;

teach me to serve you as you deserve to be served—
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask any reward
except that of knowing that I do your holy will.
—St. Ignatius Loyola

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