Today Christ tells us that for Him and for us, going God’s way means death must come before life. He calls on us to deny ourselves and follow Him on the way of the cross. Those words offend our sinful flesh and make our Old Adam cry with Peter, “Never!” So today the Church prays for the never-failing mercy of Christ that we might avoid such wicked and harmful thoughts and instead be guided on the cross-laden path to salvation. Then, and only then, do these words of Christ cease offending our flesh and become a joy and delight for our heart (Verse of the Day). The Church is militant: first the cross, then the crown.