Because this doctrine cuts so deeply at self-love, it is rejected entirely by the overwhelming majority of mankind even Catholics. When to these a thorn-crowned, bleeding Christ presents Himself, and bids them deny their appetites and refrain, in a spirit of reparation, from what is naturally gratifying; when He counsels a fear of riches and a love of poverty; when He tells them to lay up treasure in heaven and not be over-anxious about what they eat or drink or what they put on; in a word, when He bids them take up the Cross and follow Him, they open their eyes wide and look at Him in amazement. What use is life unless you have a good time? Pain they flee from. For them suffering and discomfort in any form is an unmitigated misfortune, a most unwelcome visitor if it come to their doorstep, to be dispatched, without apology or ceremony, as speedily as may be.
This class rejects Christ because of the Cross. They make no attempt to probe into its mysteries. Even at death they remain still untaught, still enslaved by the world, still blind to the attractiveness of Jesus Christ.
There is a second class who follow Christ and accept Him, but this they do in spite of the Cross. They tell you they are resigned to God's Will when the burden laid upon their shoulders crushes them. Since He has seen fit to afflict us in this way, may His Will be done! It is clear, of course, that this second attitude is far and away more Christlike than the first. But, for all that, there lingers in it a lack of complete conformity. We are resigned, yes; but had God consulted us in advance, we feel sure things could have been arranged more satisfactorily!
Do the saints stop short at mere passive resignation to the Cross? Does Christ Himself? No. His intimate friends have somehow so schooled themselves in His ways that they would feel uncomfortable if the Cross was absent. These accept Our Lord and His teaching, not merely in spite of the Cross and the hard sayings of the gospel, but just because of them. For the earnest soul, the fact that Our Lord voluntarily embraced the Cross is an all-convincing argument for doing the same. The soul's ideal is to be like Him, and for this the Cross is essential. Further, the soul acquires more and more light to see why this should be. It would be satisfied to imitate Him blindly, asking no reason, but in His condescension He deigns to tell it why.
A snub, an insult, an injustice, is a treasure of such stupendous value that we should go on our knees to thank the person who gives it to us. This, Lord, is what You also say. "Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you." To those who love, all things work together unto good; even evil itself is transformed by being repaid by love.
Father Watson, an old Jesuit who died in Australia, once received a most insulting and calumnious letter. He took up his pen and sent a reply that astonished the person to whom it came. For the old priest actually thanked him, and in terms the sincerity of which nobody could doubt. This is not the natural reaction. Nature will rise up in indignation and at once set about claiming its rights. Grace inclines to leave things alone, not to bother, even to thank the offender. This sublime folly can be learned on Calvary and on Calvary only.