From my missal today

Gospel. Matthew 10. 34-42 Feast of St Wenceslaus

The summary goes...The following of Christ demands on occasion cruel separation from those we love, but those who decide to do so become one with Him.

An excerpt from the Gospel..38 And he that taketh not up his cross and followeth me is not worthy of Me.

Wow. This whole concept of following Christ, taking up one's cross, of separation, keeps haunting me.

It is a process, isn't it? Part of life..maybe now..maybe tomorrow.But it's there.

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Let him deny himself..

This is like taking a diet from the world. Denying yourself? Have you ever heard of that? We know about dieting, that is denying ourselves from certain foods that keep weight on, but denying ourselves? Do we know what that is all about?

This last week, I have returned to more serious dieting.

Denying myself some foods.

Not that this is a cross. But I have to admit that saying no to extra food, feeling a twinge of hunger, is good for me when it comes to developing self discipline.

Awhile ago, someone who cares for me shared their wish that I would lose more weight. More weight? Well, I lost about 38 kg over a four-five year period. Have kept that weight off for about a year or so . Have a healthy BMI but it is still a weight that is at the higher end of the healthy BMI.

This pic was from 38 kg ago....

After Easter, this year, I tried stepping up workouts and eating mostly healthy. I lost 1 kg over the last three months. My doctor was pleased -she said most people who lose weight regain it and I hadn't. But that person-who-cares and myself weren't happy.

Let him deny himself.

This pic is now...a healthy weight..but can I be thinner?

Let him deny himself.

Could I deny myself a little, lose another ten kg, make someone else happier with me? It is a form of denying oneself for another. Isn't it?

I bought some Weight Watchers magazines.And thought - s#*@ - if they can do it, so can I. For my even better health; for fitness; for another; to learn even more self control and self discipline; and, yes, vanity prevailing, to look better.

Walking, jogging, instead of Taebo. Counting WW points. I lost a kg this week. Only nine more to go!

Let him deny himself.

Sometimes, practicing self denial and self control in little things, helps us to develop virtues, for when we are really tested. Then, with God's grace, we can take up our cross and follow Him.

1810 Human virtues acquired by education, by deliberate acts and by a perseverance ever-renewed in repeated efforts are purified and elevated by divine grace. With God's help, they forge character and give facility in the practice of the good. The virtuous man is happy to practice them. ..from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.