Coming After

Dicebat autem ad omnes: Si quis vult post me venire, abneget seipsum. Pulchre posuit, ad omnes, quia superiora, quae ad fidem dominicae nativitatis vel passionis pertinent, cum solis seorsum discipulis egit. Tunc autem nosmetipsos abnegamus, cum vitamus quod per vetustatem fuimus, et ad hoc nitimur quo per novitatem vocamur. Dicat ergo Veritas, dicat: Si quis vult post me venire, abneget seipsum. Quia nisi quis a semetipso deficiat, ad eum qui super ipsum est non appropinquat; nec valet apprehendere quod ultra ipsum est, si nescierit mactare quod est. Sed jam, qui se a vitiis abnegat, exquirendae ei virtutes sunt, in quibus crescat. Sanctus Beda, In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, Liber III, Caput IX Source: Migne PL 92.452b

But He said to everyone: 'If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself. 1 Well was it written here 'to everyone,' because just previously, He had spoken about what pertained to the faith of the Lord's nativity and passion with His disciples alone. And then we deny ourselves, when we turn away from what we were of old and strive toward the newness to which we are called. Therefore the Truth says: 'If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself.' Because unless someone dies to himself, he shall not come near to Him who is above him, nor shall he be able to grasp what is beyond if he does not know what it is to be glorified. But already he who denies himself the vices, seeks after the virtues, in which he may grow. Saint Bede, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Luke, Book 3, Chapter 9 1 Lk 9.23