THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Friday of the sixth week in Ordinary time, 2022

Jams 2:142-4

Ps 112

Mark 8:34-9:1

Take up your cross

Dear friends in Christ, it is obviously counter-cultural for most people to see suffering as a part of life. Many would rather believe in a Messiah who assures them that he has taken away all their sorrows and sufferings so that they just now have to enjoy. Common sense is enough however to teach otherwise and Jesus never promised anyone a life free of sufferings.

In our Gospel today (Mark 8:34-9:1) Jesus drives home the point very clearly that to follow him is an acceptance of the cross. One of the greatest challenges we face as humans everyday, is the acceptance of suffering—the acceptance of the cross. Often it makes little or no sense that we have to suffer to reach our goals in life and in eternity. Many people are scandalised by the image of a God who hangs upon the cross. A God who died in the hands of the enemies. There are even religious leaders who preach that Jesus has suffered once and for all, for all his followers, and that there is no need for them to suffer. That contradicts not just the teachings of Jesus but also common sense.  Human wisdom must bow at the end of the day to God’s plan.

Peter who had just given the perfect answer on the person of Jesus was sternly rebuked for being on the side of ‘Christianity without the cross’—“Get behind me satan! for you are not on the side of God but men.” You might have to answer the question, where do you belong, on the side of God or of men?

“If any man would follow me, let him deny himself, take up the cross and follow me.” From this line it is very clear, that Jesus is not looking for cowards as his followers. He seeks men and women of courage who are willing to embrace the cross and suffering just the way Christ did, people who are willing to die for what they believe and those who are willing to give their lives to save others. Self denial, the giving up of ones pleasure and sometimes what could be considered ones rights in the service of others is what it means to be a true follower of the Lord. The Apostles got that message clearly. They abandoned Jesus at Gethsemane and many stayed away from the journey to Calvary but soon, one after another, they went the way of the cross to plant the faith. The blood of the martyrs became the seeds of the faith. There were those who took the way of martyrdom physically but there were also many who took the path of charitable life to change the world. Altogether they have left for us the path through which we might also get to our eternal destination. Today we need women and men who can give up their selfish ambitions in the service of a better nation and a better world.

Let us pray: God give us the courage of the martyrs to know that whatever we suffer today in the path of justice, peace and a better world, will contribute to our journey to eternal life with you. Amen. 

+Remain blessed