Cycle A - Year II:  

31 August 2014: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 16:21-27

The Christian challenge today!

Disturbing events dominate the international scene lately: the horror and barbarism of so-called religious extremists with their mass murders of innocent Christians, and the alarming and frightening spread of the killer Ebola virus.

What is the United Nations and international community doing about these alarming developments?

Almost sidelined by these horrifying news is an inspiring story of a group of Filipino missionaries who belong to the Order of Augustinian Recollects (OAR) or Recoletos. Despite the real threat of the killer Ebola virus to their lives, these Filipino Catholic missionary priests in Sierra Leone in Africa have decided to stay in order to "share Christ" with the people who do not yet know Him. They said: "We are all afraid but we choose to be with our people to continue to give hope to them especially during this time of difficulties."

Such heroic (or saintly perhaps?) stand by these Filipino missionaries traces its biblical connection in the Gospel for this Sunday.

Our Lord surprised His disciples with the announcement that He is going to Jerusalem to suffer, die and rise again. He makes it clear that, even with the great miracles He has already performed, the cross remains at the center of His salvific mission.

Now Peter, who has just been called the "rock" upon which Christ would build

His Church in last Sunday's Gospel, reacts negatively to Jesus' announcement. Peter says that he will not allow these terrible things to happen to Jesus. He was thinking in worldly  standards, and did not yet understand the meaning of Christ's suffering and death. Jesus rebukes him: "You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

So Jesus tells His disciples: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me." These words are meant not just for the first apostles, many of whom would indeed die for their faith. They are meant as well for any one of us who would call ourselves Jesus' disciples. 

What does "taking up the cross" mean? We can reflect on it in several ways.

It means we must die to our sin. Our Lord makes it clear that we must put our inclination to sin to death. The Scriptures are clear on this: God hates iniquity!

"Taking up the cross" also means responding faithfully to the demands and duties of our life's calling or vocations. For example, husbands and wives take up a cross when they vow to be faithful to one another in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in prosperity or adversity. Because fulfilling those vows means giving up or putting on hold certain personal plans and dreams (like one's career or travel plans perhaps) because the family comes first.

A worker "takes up a cross" when he or she does his/her work faithfully and efficiently, resisting the temptation of corruption and other forms of malpractice at work.

Students "take up their cross" when they remain focused in their studies, giving importance to the sacrifices of their parents, rather than wasting their time on anything that takes them away from completing their education.

A priest "takes up a cross" when he lives up to his vow of celibacy for the mission. Or in the example of the Recoletos in Africa, when they choose to give priority to their mission over their own personal safety.

There are many more life's situations, but in sum "taking up the cross" means we must be ready to root out sin because we know that God loves us. We must be ready to do God's will and not our own. It means we are willing to let God tear down whatever is keeping us from God, whatever obstacles are keeping us from really knowing His love for us.

Does it mean that Christian life is simply about sacrifices and drudgery? It is not. Christian life is not all about the cross. Christ's prediction of his passion was followed by the promise of glory. Yes, He would die, but He would rise again. If we are willing to die to sin and remain faithful to God's will for us, then not only shall we die for Christ but we shall also rise to new life with Him. 

This is our Christian challenge today, the cost to pay for discipleship of Christ.

In Holy Mass, let us pray for courage and faith to accept the cross as part of our life's journey in following Jesus, who saved the world by His passion, death and resurrection.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!