Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
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.” Mk 8:27-35
Today is a very special Gospel. Jesus teaches us that who we are makes all the difference in the world. Each one of us are made specifically for a special mission in our families, parishes, and communities. When we figure out who we are and share our gifts with others to glorify God, we become the best version of ourselves, a saint! Jesus, the Son of the living God, reveals today that he is the Christ, the Messiah. His mission: save the world by dying on a cross. On Monday, the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross we will celebrate what Jesus did for us by being the best version of himself.
Since Jesus died for all humanity and we are all created by one Father, we are all intertwined or woven together by this one thread, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus teaches us today the way back to the Father, through Him.
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
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.”
St. Paul teaches us in tomorrow’s reading to the Philippians, that Jesus emptied himself as God to become a slave so obedient that he died on a cross. To become a saint, we must empty ourselves and make room for God. We must submit ourselves totally to God, be unselfish, and put on Christ for others and glorify God in all we do. Second, we must carry the crosses given to us by the hand of God. Whatever God’s will is, we must follow it. Our crosses are fashioned for each one of us to carry, not too heavy and not too light. God never gives us anything we cannot handle. If your cross is anxiety and depression, a learning disability, poverty, a victim of bullying, cancer, natural disaster, unfair treatment by a government, divorce or separation, car accidents, and the list goes on, then offer it up each day to God. Ask him to take this cross away through his grace, but if it is to purify you on your journey, let his will be done (Jesus in the Agony in the Garden). At that moment, he will send you grace, angels, or whatever you may need to bear it as he gave Jesus in the Agony in the Garden. Once we have emptied ourselves to make room for Christ, put Him on, and carried our crosses, we are now ready to follow Jesus. The rewards are eternal. Are you in?
Today’s challenge: Empty self, put on Christ, bear your cross, and follow him.
Become a saint!
Christian YOLO
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