Slowed down in divine purpose

For those of us following the Revised Common Lectionary, this week Jesus commands us to take up our cross and follow him. I ran across this letter from Augustine, where he likens those things that weary us to the cross we carry. Take a look:

Augustine to Laetus

Turn, rather to these teachings, my very dear friend, take up your cross and follow the Lord. For, when I noticed that you were being slowed down in your divine purpose by your preoccupation with domestic cares, I felt that you were being carried and dragged along by your cross rather than that you were carrying it. What else does the cross mean than the mortality of this flesh? This is our very own cross which the Lord commands us to carry that we may be as well armed as possible in following him. We suffer momentarily until death is swallowed up in victory. Then this cross itself will be nailed to the fear of God. We would hardly be able to carry it now if it forever resisted us with free and unfettered limbs. There is no other way for you to follow the Lord except by carrying it, for how can you follow him if you are not his?