¹ Daniel said to King Belshazzar: “Let your gifts be yours, and give the rewards of your house to another. Nevertheless, I will read this writing to you, O king, and make known its interpretation” [Daniel 5:17]. Jerome comments: “Let us imitate Daniel in his disdain.”

² In the name of the Most High God: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” [Matthew 16:24]. This is what the Lord Jesus commands of every person: that they renounce their vices and sins, forsake worldly pleasures, and reject wealth and honor for the sake of carrying the cross of Christ as long as they have life in body and soul. For this reason, He says: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, ocus ticsath a chruich, and follow me, ocus numsechethse” [Matthew 16:24]. This is our renunciation, that we do not conform to our desires but resist our sins. Carrying the cross means that we mortify ourselves through endurance, suffering, and martyrdom for Christ. As another has said, “The name ‘cross’ comes from ’torment,’ and we bear the cross of the Lord in two ways: either through self-denial, subduing the flesh, or through compassion, considering the need of our neighbor as our own.” For whoever suffers in another’s affliction carries the cross in his heart, as Paul says: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ” [Galatians 6:2]. And the Apostle also says: ‘Weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice’ [Romans 12:15]. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it [1 Corinthians 12:26]. For it is natural that when an illness is upon a man’s body, whether in his leg, his hand, or his limbs, the whole body feels its pain.

³ The whole body feels the affliction, and in the same way, it is fitting for us that each member shares in the suffering of another—because, indeed, all the members together endure the pain of one, and whatever sickness is upon it, they bear it in common. As the Apostle says: “Who is scandalized, and I do not burn? Who is weak, and I am not weak?” [2 Corinthians 11:29]. The holy Apostle did not say this because he personally experienced every illness, every persecution, and every weakness, but because he regarded the suffering of each person as his own. Likewise, it is proper for each one of us to take upon ourselves the burden of others’ toil, distress, and weakness.

⁴ From these writings, we see that bearing the cross is counted as belonging to the very nature of wisdom. There are, therefore, three kinds of martyrdom by which people are said to carry the cross: white martyrdom, green martyrdom, and red martyrdom.

⁵ White martyrdom is when a person separates themselves from all that they love for the sake of God, even if they do not endure bodily suffering. Green martyrdom is when someone renounces their own desires and endures hardship through penance and repentance. Red martyrdom is the shedding of blood and suffering of death for Christ, just as was commanded to the apostles in their preaching of the truth and their endurance of persecution.

⁶ Those who pursue true repentance hold fast to these three kinds of martyrdom: separating from their desires, enduring hardship, and shedding their blood in word and deed for Christ.

⁷ There are also three forms of martyrdom that are precious in the sight of God, which we should strive to fulfill: chastity in youth, self-restraint in abundance.