▁his ▁dis ci ples ▁to ▁" ren ounce ▁yourself , ▁take ▁up ▁your ▁cross , ▁and ▁follow ▁me " ▁is ▁also ▁usually ▁attacked ▁as ▁s ado - mas och ism , ▁a ▁search ▁for ▁pleasure ▁through ▁pain . ▁C athol ics ▁believe , ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁hand , ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁through ▁suffering ▁and ▁pain ▁that ▁Christians ▁" complete ▁in ▁themselves ▁the ▁aff lict ions ▁of ▁Christ " ▁as ▁St . ▁Paul ▁pre ached . ▁This ▁means ▁Christians ▁see ▁themselves ▁as ▁forming ▁the ▁" one ▁myst ical ▁person " ▁with ▁Christ , ▁and ▁therefore ▁should ▁help ▁people ▁by ▁lov ing ▁and ▁obey ing ▁God ▁by ▁under going ▁p ains ▁and ▁suffer ings , ▁thus ▁making ▁up ▁for ▁the ▁s ins ▁of ▁men . ▁ ▁View s ▁on ▁the ▁cross ▁creates ▁a ▁division : ▁" The ▁division ▁between ▁those ▁whose ▁first ▁love ▁is ▁God , ▁and ▁those ▁whose ▁first ▁love ▁is ▁self ▁- ▁might ▁also ▁be ▁expressed ▁as ▁the ▁division ▁between ▁those ▁who ▁accept ▁the ▁place ▁of ▁the ▁Cross ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁of ▁Christ , ▁and ▁those ▁who ▁reject ▁all ▁sacrifice ▁except ▁it ▁be ▁for ▁personal ▁gain ." ▁▁ ▁St . ▁Paul ▁said ▁" many ▁live ▁as ▁enemies ▁of ▁the ▁cross ▁of ▁Christ ." ▁( Ph ili pp ians ▁ 3 : 1 8 ) ▁▁ ▁He ▁pre ached : ▁" The ▁message ▁of ▁the ▁cross ▁is ▁complete ▁abs urd ity ▁to ▁those ▁who ▁are ▁head ed ▁for ▁ru in , ▁but ▁to ▁those ▁of ▁us ▁who ▁are ▁on ▁the ▁way ▁to ▁salv ation