The cross is part of a Christian's life

Pope Francis gave a very spontaneous homily yesterday when he celebrated Holy Mass with the Cardinals at the Sistine Chapel. They say that what comes out spontaneously from our mouths express what is in the heart, or what we truly hold dear. In this homily Pope Francis reminds us that we cannot be Christians without the cross. He said his homily in Italian and this is my translation of the part where he speaks about the cross:
"This Gospel continues with a special situation. Peter who has just confessed Jesus as the Christ now tells him: You are Christ, the Son of the living God. I will follow you, but let us not talk about the cross. That talk doesn't fit in here. I will follow you wherever, but without the cross.
When we walk without the Cross, when we build anything but without the Cross, and when we confess a Christ without the Cross, we are not disciples of the Lord: we are worldly, we may be Bishops, priests, Cardinals, Popes, but not disciples of the Lord."

Well said, Pope Francis.
So when we do not encounter contradictions and sufferings in life, let us be worried because we might not be following the true God.