Cycle A - Year 1:  

3 September 2017:  Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Jeremiah 20: 7-9

Second Reading:   Romans 12: 1-2

Gospel:Please Read  Matthew 16: 21-27

The Christian challenge!

In a romantic plot, the man promises his girl to fly her to the moon and back in order to win her heart.

But then Apollo 11 happened, and on July 20, 1969 the first man who ever stepped on the moon's surface, Neil Amstrong, showed that there is nothing romantic on the surface of the moon after all. Would the girl still ride with the man to the moon?

And so also in our Christian journey. Will  you follow our Lord Jesus Christ if His only way is through the cross?

In this Sunday's Gospel narrative, 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. Because Peter was thinking in worldly standards, and did not yet understand the meaning of Christ's suffering and death. So Jesus rebukes him: "You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

Then 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 today who would call ourselves Jesus' disciples.

So what does "taking up the cross" mean to us? Let us reflect on it in several ways....

It means we must die to our sin. Our Lord makes it clear that we must put to death our inclination to sin. 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 vocation. For example, husband and wife 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 when he chooses to give priority to his mission over his own personal interests and even safety, becoming like Christ Himself to others.

And so there are many more life 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 God's love for us.

But does it mean that Christian life is simply about sacrifices and drudgery? Well, 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, our Lord will die, but He will rise again. And so 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, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

This is our Christian challenge today, the cost to pay in order to follow Jesus through His cross of passion and resurrection.

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!