Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A
Jer 20, 7-9; Rm 12, 1-2; Mt 16, 21-27.
I recently read an experience that a young man, Paul, wrote about what he learnt from an elderly friend of his. Paul shares how, when he was passing through a rough patch in his life, he met this wise elderly man, who also happened to be a priest, thanks to who he received much-needed solace. Paul says that in his younger years, priest was a powerhouse of energy, working hard in the different ministries which he was assigned to and on the committees and boards where he sat. As he grew older, however, this man also also grew weaker and had to bear the burden of several illnesses related to old age. Paul describes how, under the cross of suffering, the old man might have very easily given in to discouragement. Instead, precisely because he had to give up so many titles and positions, he had time for Paul, we could be of solace for him, he could be present to him in a way that nobody else could. In other words, under the shadow of the cross, the old man remained a faithful disciple of Jesus and to continued being an eloquent witness of God's love.
When we listen to a gospel like today's, when we hear Jesus say, pick up your cross and follow me, we listen a bit closer perhaps the priest has some tips on how to carry our cross. We all appreciate a lighter cross, after all, don't we? Well, sorry to disappoint you I have got no tips to share with you about how to make the cross any lighter. What I hope to share with you is how can we make the shadow of the cross a bit more radiant and luminous.
Like Peter, we too tend to reject the cross. No wonder as we read in the Gospel of John, Peter tells Jesus that his words to eat His Body and drink His Blood are too strong! No wonder he initially refuses Jesus' washing his feet at the last supper! Peter seems to reject the cross every time. But guess what? In the end he accepts all this, as he also accepts to carry his own cross and follow Jesus.
Sometimes, like Peter, we think that whoever leads what we might call according to our judgment a "good life", must be exempt from suffering. In other instances, we simply refuse it, we are faced with suffering in our lives and we become embittered. As someone once said, "Why are you afraid of suffering? Everyone suffers!" Are you and I any different from the rest of the world? The difference is how to live our moments of suffering.
But what exactly is Jesus asking of us today? What does he mean by denying ourselves and carrying our cross? Does he want us to disrespect ourselves? Does he mean that we all must live an ascetic lifestyle whatever our vocation in life may be? Does he mean that we must seek suffering in order to be pleasing to God? The answer is clear: No! Suffering must never be sought. However it cannot always be avoided and therefore the test of the disciple is whether we are disciples of Christ even during moments of suffering.
Today's Gospel calls us to heed the words of Jesus and to get behind him - again. When Jesus tells Peter (and us, for all that matter) get behind me, he is not merely expressing rebuking Peter, but he is also asking him to take his place as a disciple, and to allow Jesus to be master. After all, that is what Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must - in the end - follow me."
In the figure of Jeremiah we can identify many people who like him carry the cross in their own body as they spread the Good News. Jeremiah had to endure the ridicule and the persecution of many people for saying being a witness to the truth. And although he uses very strong language towards God, in his heart he discovers this burning desire to continue loving by being a witness to the truth.
Jeremiah's suffering was that he was the object of ridicule. We too might be subject to the scorn of others when we try and stand up for the rights of others. Our suffering might be a failure in our professional life or in our vocational life. It might not even be a failure. It might simply be fatigue or discouragement, an inability to give my utmost in my relationship or in that which I have vowed to give my life for. This is the cost - and the cross - of discipleship.
Bonhoeffer once wrote that, "The cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise God-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."
Someone once said that we must look at our suffering in the same way in which we look at stained glass windows. When you look at them from the outside, they are dull and seem to be without any pattern. When viewed from the inside however, they are luminous and beautiful. When we invert our sufferings, then we can see them as an act of charity. We must therefore not simply resign ourselves and submit passively. Rather, we are called to take control of the situation by being disciples of Christ and by taking these very situations as opportunities to evangelize, to spread the Good News of God's love.
Then we would be able to follow Jesus more intimately, to imitate him more closely. Most of all, we would be able to be witnesses of God's love not only when things are easy going but even more so when we find ourselves under the shadow of the cross.
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