Resspond to life

Respond to life

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah – Is. 50: 5-9b
            The Lord, God, opened my ear. And I did not resist, I did not back down. I adjusted my back to what they beat and my cheeks to what they tore. I didn’t cover my face from reproach and saliva.

            The Lord, God, is helping me, so I will not be ashamed. He hardened my face to be quartz, and I know I will not be ashamed. The one who gives me the truth is near; who wants to argue with me? Let’s face it! Who is my prosecutor? Let them come to me! Behold, the Lord God help me: who can condemn me?

Mark 8: 27-35
            Jesus went out with his disciples to the villages around Caesarea Philippe. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people think of me?”

            They replied, “John the Baptist, others for Elijah and others for one of the prophets.”

            “And who do you consider me?” He asked them.

            Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.” But he strictly warned them not to tell anyone about him.

            Then he began to hear them, “The Son of Man must suffer much, the elders, the high priests, and the scribes will condemn him, kill him, but he will rise from the dead after three days.” He told them openly.

Peter took him aside and began to talk to him. He turned, looked at his disciples, and reprimanded Peter, “Get out of my way, Satan, because you have no sense of God’s things, only human!”

Then he called the crowd and the disciples together and said to them, “Whoever wants to follow me, deny himself, take his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. ”

            As part of repetition and relaunch, we will now recall one fundamental truth. Liturgical readings on Sunday 24 (last Sunday 16 September 2018) remind us of difficult things. They speak of setting their backs for battle, of reproach, of denying themselves, of taking the cross, following and losing their lives. All things that are against us hair. Again, it makes us feel as if faith was about suffering, suffering, pain that I have to endure here on this earth for a few years, and then a generous reward in heaven. What then? How to grab it?

            We have said several times that we are living in a liquid society that has no edge, no constant opinion. We want to maximize our happiness and that is why we adapt to it. When I don’t have an edge, I don’t hit and I can always make myself feel good. But this way of life makes it difficult for us to follow Christ. His way of doing this cannot be followed. I, either choose and then I have clear and firm principles to which I adapt everything else or I do not follow him. Either I decide for a lifetime, or I’m not following him. And here is the source of tension that st. Scripture calls the cross.

            Following God requires engagement. This is manifested, for example, in fidelity to the marriage vow, as well as in fidelity to the priesthood, the consecrated life, which require, among other things, celibacy or virginity. But it also manifests itself in smaller things like caring for the sick, raising children, accepting some permanent service. We do not have a problem to do a big thing once in a while, but we have a problem to do small things regularly. They limit us, they bind us and do not allow us to do what we just want. So, I’d like to go back and forth, so I long for this and that, but unfortunately, I have pledged, I can’t. The decision fears. What if I can’t handle the consequences of my decision? I met a man who lived with his girlfriend in the same household, but they were not married. The reason was not contempt for marriage or indifference, but fear. One said, “You know Joseph, I love her and I don’t want to hurt her. I know how weak I am. What if in a few years there is a situation that I can’t handle? I’d rather not promise her that he would not be disappointed afterwards. ”

            The fear of managing it is one of the biggest breaks in making decisions. The fear is justified. When we look at our misery, when we see our weaknesses, when we realize what moves us and what all desires we nourish in our hearts. Now I have stood the test, but now can I do it tomorrow? Even in ten years? We don’t trust each other.

            Let’s go back to the readings for a moment. Let’s look at them again and look for the essence of the message. Is the essence of renunciation and the cross really? Christ says to Peter, “Get out of my way, Satan because you have no sense of God’s things, only human!” The fear I described is that human look. I can’t do it. And that is true. The answer to whether I can handle it is obvious and unambiguous: NO! Christ himself says about salvation: “It is impossible for man, but not for God. For everything is possible to God ”(Mark 10:27). The Lord does not invite me to be a hero, but invites me to.