In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

My Lord and my God, I firmly believe that you are here, that you see me, that you hear me.

I adore you with profound reverence.

I ask your pardon for my sins and the grace to make this time of prayer fruitful.

My Immaculate Mother St. Joseph, my father, and Lord, my guardian angel, and deceitful.

What better setting than a dreary, raw, cold, windy, misty morning

than to meditate on the cross of Jesus.

However, if we're a beautiful sunny day, that would also be an appropriate setting

because our Lord will reveal that his burden is easy and light.

But as we keep on dissecting Jesus' invitation, come and follow me, we try to penetrate the meaning of those words.

In a certain sense, the entire gospel is a breakdown of the meaning of follow me.

We read in the gospel, the apostles heard that very clearly.

He said to all, if anyone would come after me, wants to come after me,

let him or her deny himself or herself and take up his or her cross daily

and follow me.

So the follow me is explicitly connected with this saying no to self and embracing this cross.

Peter will receive the most severe reprimand possible from Jesus

as he attempted to dissuade the Lord from entering into Jerusalem that would cost him his life

in a very painful way.

And Peter attempted to dissuade him.

And then Jesus responded and reproached him saying,

Get behind me Satan.

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