Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Mk 8,27-35

On the way around Caesarea Philippe, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you think I am?” (Mark 8:27)
The evangelist Mark recorded Peter’s answer: “You are the Messiah” (Mark 8:19), and we also read Jesus’ reaction to Peter’s confession: Jesus “admonished them not to tell anyone about him. Then he began to teach them.” (Mark 8: 30-31)
Mark pointed out the care with which Jesus brought up the apostles. The Jews were convinced that their nation was chosen by God and would expect the Messiah. Kings, priests, and prophets were promoted to their ranks and marked by mission through the act of anointing with oil. From this also came the title Messiah – Christ – Anointed. In the time of Jesus, this title belonged only to the expected Messiah, the Redeemer. The Jewish people addressed by the prophets knew that the Messiah would come from the family of David. The chosen nation suffered a lot. And so, when they were captivated by the Assyrians, the Persians, the Greeks, and finally the Romans, when they did not know true freedom and independence, the thought of the Messiah gave the national strength and courage to endure hardships and suffering. It so happened that under political and religious pressure, they began to expect the Messiah as the liberator from the yoke of the Romans. The latter would establish a prosperous earthly kingdom. This idea also affected the apostles. They also thought that Jesus was this Messiah with a sword in his hand. The mother of the sons of Zebedee begged Jesus for places for her sons in the kingdom thus understood.
However, God’s ways are not human. God uses other means to achieve His goals than humans. Jesus initiated his disciples into his work of salvation. In words, “The Son of man must suffer many things; the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes shall reject him, and shall kill him, but after three days he shall rise again” (Mark 8:31). Although Jesus “told them openly about these events” (Mark 8:32), Peter does the opposite. He takes Jesus aside and speaks to him. Jesus then strongly admonishes Peter: “Get out of my way, Satan, for you have no sense of the things of God, only of men” (Mk 8:33).
The Jews always looked at the suffering and the cross with outrage. However, Jesus gives new value to hell and the cross. The cross becomes a symbol of Christ’s absolute requirement for our lives. The cross is a condition of following Christ. That is why Jesus’ words, “Whoever wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take his cross and follow me” (Lk 9:23) speak of complete devotion to God, that is, that we love the cross, carry it with love and do not act like Peter.
Jesus as the Messiah had a radically different plan from the Jews. The Messiah will have a crown of thorns on his head and not of gold. He will die on the cross, although many will be offended at his death. The Messiah will be buried, but he will rise from the dead by his power. Jesus the Messiah will not triumph in war but suffering and sanctification. The Messiah is a victor when others think they have overcome him. Humbled on the cross, he is infinitely great and powerful, as only God, the Messiah, the Redeemer, and the Savior can be.
Jesus’ questions “Who do men consider me to be,” and “who do you consider me to be” (Mark 8:27, 29) reveal that even today, many have not understood why Jesus came into the world, why he suffered, why he suffered a humiliating death on the cross, and why rose from the dead. Many refer to Jesus, talk about him, but live by Jesus, do his will? Even today, they are offended by the demands that Jesus places on us. Denying, renouncing, accepting the cross, crosses, carrying them for long, years, for the end of your life is not only challenging but also not squeak, not mocking God, not blaspheming… How can we do or cannot do the will of the Lord Jesus? We answer not only but also by the act of asking, “Whom do you think I am?” (Mark 8:27) A Christian can receive from God, not only benefits but also crosses. Therefore, carrying your cross, as Jesus rightly asks of us, is essential for our salvation.

Accepting and carrying your cross is not an easy thing in life. He who takes his cross with Jesus will know that he does not have to despair. The believer does not solve his crosses by suicide, murder, euthanasia. The believer recognizes Jesus’ love in his suffering. Although he will not lose the cross, he crosses, like Peter, led by the Holy Spirit, says, “You are the Messiah.” (Mark 8:29) Jesus alone will give victory, eternal life. The believer, especially in the questions of Jesus, realizes that everything valuable and beautiful is born, especially at the cost of sacrifice and pain. A mother in pain brings a child into the world, but which child can repay the mother with pain, spent nights? And whose child does his child consider? And who does the child feel the Father be? Are our exertions, facial sweat, calluses on the palms pleasant? A father who loves his child will say yes. And who do we consider a surgeon – a doctor? The scalpel in his hand, even if it causes pain, heals.

Knowing and professing Jesus as your Lord and God is a duty and a joy. He teaches us to profess faith by works out of love. Indeed every cross is heavy.
When a husband leaves his wife and lives with another, it is a cross for the abandoned wife. He trampled on her love. He betrayed her. And yet, this wife must also remember the words she said in the administration of the sacrament of marriage: “… in no adversity, so the Lord God help me.”
It is a rugged cross for grandparents when their children do not visit them or take care of them in old age when they are not allowed to meet their grandchildren. What a heavy cross a woman carries, whose husband is often drunk. Heavy is the cross that a young man must take when a drunk driver strikes him. The cross is difficult for parents who have a physically disabled child. The cross is rugged when a young person cannot apply his talent, his knowledge.

Rebel against your cross? How much? What to do? Deep faith helps to take the cross and carry it in the footsteps of Jesus. Many believers have learned in prayer, through the sacraments, to find the will of God.

A woman informed her neighbor about the young family, about their crosses in one breath, in one sentence on the bus: and paralyzed. She is not thirty years old, and the doctor has told her that she is starting multiple sclerosis and – they still believe in God! “People will be pleased, they will help, but only faith in God will give them the strength to carry their crosses on difficult weekdays.” Speaking louder, the older man quietly remarked, “You are right. Only faith in God will give us the strength not to despair, to persevere, even to bear the crosses.”

Jesus says to everyone: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” (Mark 8:35) Peter answered Jesus’ question correctly: ?” (Mark 8:27) Everyone can be convinced that the cross can lead a person to change attitudes to life and holiness. It is conversion, conversion, finding, discovering a new life, a new perspective on the goal of your life, a more fruitful mission here on earth.

In the pocket of the fallen soldier’s uniform, they found the following words written on a piece of paper:
“Sir, I have prayed for health so that I can do great things, and I only got diseases, so I could do well.
I asked for wealth, so I could be happy; I needed to be more innovative.
I asked for people’s strength to be admired and praised; I was given weakness to know that God is most needed.
I asked for many things to be happy in life; I was given life so that I could enjoy many words.
Sir, I did not receive what I asked for, but you gave me everything I needed. Despite all my pleas, he heard my unspoken prayers because I am the happiest of the people. “

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4 Responses to Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Mk 8,27-35

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