Seeking Glory

Οἱ γενναῖοι τῶν στρατηγῶν τοὺς τῶν τακτικῶν ἐπιστήμονας ἀκονῶσι πρὸς εὐτολμίαν οὐ μόνας αὐτοῖς τὰς ἐκ τοῦ νικῆσαι τιμὰς ὑπισχνούμενοι, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ παθεῖν εὐκλεὲς εἶναι λέγοντες καὶ πάσης αὐτοῖς εὐφημίας πρόξενον· οὐ γάρ ἐστι τῶν ἐνδεχομένων τοὺς ἐθέλοντας εὐδοκιμεῖν ἐν μάχαις μὴ οὐχὶ καὶ τὰς ἐκ τῶν ἀνθεστηκότων ὑπομένειν ἔσθ' ὅτε πληγάς. πλὴν οὐκ ἄμισθον ἔσται τὸ παθεῖν αὐτοῖς· ἐπαινεθήσονται γὰρ ὡς τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐπιπηδήσαντες, καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ πάθος μαρτυρήσει πάντως αὐτοῖς ὅτι φρονήματι κέχρηνται σφόδρα νεανικῷ. τοιοῦτο διδάσκοντα ὁρῶμεν καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν. ἀφορμὴ δὲ γέγονεν αὐτῷ τοῦ τοιοῦδε λόγου τὸ προαπαγγεῖλαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὅτι χρὴ πάντως αὐτὸν τὰς ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐφόδους ὑπενεγκεῖν ἐμπαιχθῆναί τε παρ' αὐτῶν καὶ ἐμπτυσθῆναι καὶ ἀποκτανθῆναι καὶ ἀναστῆναι τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. ἵνα τοίνυν μὴ ὑπολάβωσιν ὅτι πείσεται μὲν αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς τὰς ἐκ τῶν φονώντων ἐπηρείας, αὐτοῖς γε μὴν ἔξεστι διαβιοῦν ἀνειμένως, ἀναγκαίως δεικνὺς ὅτι διὰ τῶν ἴσων ἀνδραγαθημάτων ἰέναι χρὴ τοὺς τῆς παρ' αὐτοῦ δόξης ἐπιθυμοῦντας τυχεῖν, μονονουχὶ καὶ διαμαρτύρεται λέγων τὰ προκείμενα· ἔδει γάρ, ἔδει τοὺς εἰς τοιαύτην λειτουργίαν προκεχειρισμένους εὐσθενεστάτους εἶναι καὶ νεανικούς, ὡς μηδὲν ὑφορᾶσθαι τῶν δεινῶν.ὁ τοιοῦτος ἑαυτὸν ἀρνήσεται μονονουχὶ καὶ ἀποταξάμενος τῇ παρούσῃ ζωῇ ὑπέρ γε τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν ἀγάπης. οὕτως τις ἀκολουθήσει Χριστῷ μονονουχὶ κεκραγώς τε καὶ λέγων πρὸς τὸν τῶν ὅλων σωτῆρα Χριστὸν ὅτι Ἕνεκα σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς.  Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐἰς Τὸ Κατά Λουκαν Ἐὐαγγέλλιον

Distinguished and learned generals encourage others to the attainment of courageous deeds, not only by promising their men the fruits of victory, but even by telling them that suffering brings glory, and that it gains for them all praise, for it is not possible that those who would win glory in battle would not suffer wounds from adversaries. But not without reward is their suffering, for they are praised as those who have raced into battle; and suffering bears witness to a brave spirit. And much the same teaching we see in our Lord Jesus Christ, on the occasion when had told the disciples that it was necessary for Him to endure betrayal, and to be mocked, and to be spat on, and to be put to death, and on the third day to rise again. That they not suppose that He would for the life of the world suffer the impositions of his murderers and that they would be permitted to live without peril, he announced that those who would be thought worthy of the glory He grants, must attain to it by equal acts of bravery. For those appointed to such an office must be thoroughly brave and steadfast, armed with an unshaken mind and invincible courage, so as no dread will unnerve. He who thus acts denies himself, setting aside this present life for the good and love of Christ. So does such a man follow Christ, saying with a cry to Christ the Saviour of all: 'For Your sake we are killed every day; we have been counted as sheep for the slaughter.'1 Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke. 1 Ps 43.22