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First, the mystic should have a “habitual desire to imitate Christ in everything that he does.” He should meditate on Christ’s life “so that he may know ... how to behave in all things as Christ would behave.” Secondly, “Every pleasure that presents itself to the senses, if it be not purely for the honor and glory of God, must be renounced and completely rejected for the love of Jesus Christ, Who in this life had no other pleasure, neither desired any, than to do the will of his Father.”<ref>Saint John of the Cross, “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel,” I.13, in F. C. Happold, ''Mysticism: A Study and an Anthology'' (Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1970), p. 359.</ref> | First, the mystic should have a “habitual desire to imitate Christ in everything that he does.” He should meditate on Christ’s life “so that he may know ... how to behave in all things as Christ would behave.” Secondly, “Every pleasure that presents itself to the senses, if it be not purely for the honor and glory of God, must be renounced and completely rejected for the love of Jesus Christ, Who in this life had no other pleasure, neither desired any, than to do the will of his Father.”<ref>Saint John of the Cross, “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel,” I.13, in F. C. Happold, ''Mysticism: A Study and an Anthology'' (Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1970), p. 359.</ref> | ||
The path of the imitation of Christ is the path of the Christian mystics. Jesus said: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself [his lesser self, the carnal mind] and take up his cross daily.”<ref>Luke 9:23.</ref> Taking up your cross daily means not only the cross of your karma but also your dharma, your duty to be who you really are on the path of personal Christhood in the footsteps of Jesus. Let not your head come to rest on your pillow if you have not dealt with the karma of the day with violet flame, with service, with love. | The path of the imitation of Christ is the path of the Christian mystics. Jesus said: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself [his lesser self, the [[carnal mind]]] and take up his cross daily.”<ref>Luke 9:23.</ref> Taking up your cross daily means not only the cross of your karma but also your dharma, your duty to be who you really are on the path of personal Christhood in the footsteps of Jesus. Let not your head come to rest on your pillow if you have not dealt with the karma of the day with violet flame, with service, with love. | ||
If we refuse to bear responsibility for our words, our actions, our deeds, if we are not willing to suffer the consequences of our ungodly words and deeds, this becomes the boulder of pride and rebellion against the laws of God that utterly prevents our soul’s reunion with God. | If we refuse to bear responsibility for our words, our actions, our deeds, if we are not willing to suffer the consequences of our ungodly words and deeds, this becomes the boulder of pride and rebellion against the laws of God that utterly prevents our soul’s reunion with God. | ||