If we reflect on the gospel passage (Mark 8:27-35) for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time without a clear concept of discipleship, we would be shocked and bewildered. Simon Peter is extolled for the tremendous insight from above about the very nature of Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man and then, is chastised and reprimanded with blistering directness by Jesus. “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
While still in shock, we might want to take this dramatic turn of events and apply it to ourselves. In life there are ups and downs, unexpected surprises and good breaks, setbacks and successes, tears of sadness and of joy, elation and dejection. Therefore, it would be a waste of time to go through life without an abiding, serious intention of carving for ourselves some time to pause, to go over events, to decipher hidden messages, to learn, to correct, to regroup, to motivate, to capitalize, and to implement valuable lessons.
In many cases the difference between a wasted life and a productive, meaningful one is decided by the presence or absence of silent reflection as needed. Humble acknowledgement of one’s own limits, flaws and prevalent mindset, combined with an honest assessment of one’s interests, motivations as driving forces, formed the inner disposition which allowed St. Peter to go from an over-confident bragger and easily-scared fisherman to the compassionate, caring and enlightened first Pope, so much in love with his Lord that he embraced the cross whose shadow had, years earlier, frightened him to the point of denying his Lord and Master before a slave girl and bystanders.(cf. Mt. 26:69-74)
Without hesitation, then, we ought to find out if we are going full speed ahead aimlessly, without a fixed goal and firm purpose OR if we are focused on our objective and can assure ourselves that we have a well-defined mission to accomplish. However, for some of us the situation might be even worse: we might experience frequent fear, hesitation, confusion, apprehension and slow moving in circles amid mounting frustration leading to paralysis.
As the consummate existentialist that he is, speaking from experience, St. Paul writes an enlightening and most comforting phrase which applies to all the situations mentioned above. We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
All events, even the frightening ones in our personal life, family life and in society, are taking place within God’s plan and he, the Almighty, is arranging all of them, even the most painful ones, to have a positive and benefic outcome for ourselves, for our family and for the entire world. But God wants us to keep our eyes fixed on the final and endless share in Christ’s resurrection, so that we can live through our share of bitter grief, fierce struggles, and the heaviest cross we are called to bear. Furthermore, while carrying our cross, none of us will be exonerated from their call to love, to commitment, to faithfulness, to loyalty to Christ and to his Church. For each one of those who follow Christ Jesus there will be a variation of his cross just as described in our first reading (Isaiah 50:4-9) and gospel passage.
On this earth, there should not be any letup. We will have always to choose Christ and his Church or what the world offers; to choose life or death; to choose faithfulness or compromises. On this earth, we will be always called to determine if our goal is well defined or hazy; if we are spending our time, talents and treasure in a way that helps the building of God’s Kingdom or the kingdom of darkness, despair, division, exploitation and death.
Now, what stands in the way is our self. Our self is the component of our being directly affected by the consequences of original sin. Thus, our self is naturally inclined to follow the world rather than Jesus, as Peter’s self drove him to take Jesus aside and try to convince him to reconsider a destiny that included the cross. If we still wondered why Jesus demands, as an absolute necessity for discipleship, the denial of our self, we should recall that admission into heaven depends on having attended to Jesus’ basic needs by joyously attending to the basic needs of the least among our brothers and sisters (cf. Matthew 25:31-46). But to do so, we must deny our self so fully that we acquire the attitude of Christ Jesus of considering others more important than our self and placing their wellbeing ahead of our own (cf. Philippians 2:3-5).
The acquisition of the attitude of Christ Jesus as the key to a share in his resurrection has contours that are unequivocally shaped like a cross. Hopefully, today, at the Table of God’s Word we choose to get behind Jesus and follow him carrying our cross. As we track with trepidation the scary situation of this world of darkness, despair, division, exploitation and death in which we live, we should not have much trouble identifying the least among our brothers and sisters and attend to their needs with attentiveness and generous self-sacrifice. The least who are most ignored are found at the two extremes of life: preborn children in the womb and the aged who have been convinced that they are useless and a burden to the rest. In Holy Communion we shall find the energy for self-sacrifice, for “losing” our life on behalf of the least among our brothers and sisters.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:35)
