In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches his disciples the way of the cross. Jesus truly is the Son of God and the Son of Man and yet his way is one of humility, service, and sacrifice. “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” His first disciples found this teaching very difficult to accept because they were expecting a powerful Messiah, maybe even a warrior king like David. They at first rejected this teaching of a suffering and dying Messiah.
As if this teaching were not difficult enough Jesus teaches that this way of the cross must also be the way of his disciples: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” We as disciples are called upon to take up our cross “each day.” This teaching does not mean that we are to look for pain and suffering. The way of the cross does mean that we are called to follow Jesus’ way of humility, service, and sacrifice. The way of the cross means that we put God’s will before everything, even our own will and desire. Jesus did not look for pain and suffering, but he did put his Father’s will before all as we hear in his prayer in Gethsemane: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus’ prayer is also our prayer as disciples: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-19).
Yesterday as we received our ashes we were invited to repent, to turn to God and believe in the Gospel. Today we are invited to continue turning to God by following the way of Jesus and taking up our cross each day. We are called upon to put our prayer into action: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done”
Image: “Christian Cross” by arbyreed is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.