that to take up the cross is ‘to put oneself into the position of a condemned man on his way to execution’. In other words, the attitude to self which we are to adopt is that of crucifixion. Paul uses the same image when he declares that ‘those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires’. In Luke’s version of this saying of Christ, the word ‘daily’ is added. Every day the Christian is to die. Every day we are to hand over the independence of our own