SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
SUNDAY OF THE TWENTY FOURTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
Isaiah 50:5-9
James 2:14-18
Mark 8:27-35
GIVING IT ALL TO GOD: OUR CHRISTIAN CALLING
Sometimes we are misguided to assume that the life of a Christian is rosy, extravagant and materially satisfying. But the reality is that Christianity calls us to face many challenges in life, to forget oneself, to live for the good of others, to strive towards perfection in the odds of existence, to battle oneself and ones ego, to stand out in the crowd and to do all in charity which is the key and greatest demands of our life and calling.
Doing all these require so much sacrifices, self giving and sometimes self dying. And this is what our Lord Jesus puts to us in the readings of today.
Understanding the faith we believe and profess and who he is that we are following, his identity and what he is in the world, that is, his mission is very vital for our lives as Christians.
Two basic questions was put to his disciples by Jesus in today’s gospel. First, who do people say that I am. That popular knowledge is very vital to his mission. And true to his suspicion, the disciples gave a candid answer. That the people says he is Elijah, or Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Such knowledge limits Jesus’ identity. Yet such association of Jesus with the ancient prophets, depicts knowledge of personality that will come as a forerunner to the expected messiah.
That was why Jesus puts the second question to the disciples as personal question. “Who do you say that I am.” Knowledge of Christ, that is, his identity and his mission will help give a clearer understanding of the extent of the success of his mission and also reveal to us what we are expected to be as Christians, because as our model, or our role model per excellence, our guide and our leader, this understanding will guide our discipleship. It portend that Jesus is the mirror of what we should be.
Peter gave the answer here thereby representing the whole of other disciples. Rightly, Peter speaks of Jesus as the expected messiah: “You are the Christ.” In saying that, Peter affirms that Jesus is the messiah, the anointed One, God who became man to save the world. And by this knowledge alone, Peter received a blessing. The first person to receive a blessing, because of his knowledge of it is an indication that blessings abides in those who know him. “BLESSED ARE YOU SIMON BAR JONA” and Jesus affirms the divine initiative to such knowledge as revealed to him by God.
And going further, Jesus clarifies for them the kind of messiah he is. That he is like the suffering servant of God, as seen in the prophecy of Isaiah, our first reading. That he is not a political messiah, or just an ideological messiah but a suffering messiah who has come to lay down his life for the good of humanity. So, his life is not a bed of roses, neither is it filled with enjoyment and healing, or glamour and pleasantries,or glory and blessings. Not at all. Jesus goes ahead to show them the other side of his life and basically the most important part of the life that is very challenging. He tells them that the son of man, will be condemned, will suffer, will die and give up his life as a ransom for many in the likeness of the prophecy of Isaiah in the first reading.
This is the core of his life, to be an oblation, to serve, to suffer and to die for the life of the others to stay. His life becomes sacrificial and his state one of self giving. And more still, he accepted it, lived it, loved it and never opened his mouth as a lamb led to the slaughter.
And Jesus after stating what his identity and mission is, he turned to those who wish to follow him and instructs them on the conditions of discipleship. So for those aspiring to follow and those called to follow must have the same mind, attitude and disposition. And Jesus makes it abundantly clear saying: “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.”
Our practical Christian life demands this also and James was not oblivious of this fact. James communicated to the community of believers that practical Christianity means being faithful to not just holding unto mental belief but more importantly putting all into practice in active life. The marriage of belief and active practical life makes one a Christian. And such practical active life is seen in the service of humanity in charity and selflessness. And when one becomes selfless, giving to others, lifting up lives, encouraging others, and offering services that brings people into intimacy with God, and that which affects others positively giving them succor, life and enjoyment. Such kind of life actually affects ones purses, ones ego and ones conveniences, then we can say that we are Christians.
Christianity is a life lived in Charity and self sacrifice for the good of others.
Let us then get down and begin to figure out practically what Jesus expects us to sacrifice in our daily life situations. Who are we to serve in our daily actions and activities and how we must do it to the betterment of others. Look again and you will be amazed how much God has committed us to do, the risks we must take to better our lives and the faith we must exercise to show our trust in God.
So Jesus points to three outstanding things we must do in our declaration to follow Christ.
First denying oneself: that means as one author says it “evicting selfish thoughts, evil desires and tendencies from our heart and filling it with God. In addition, also with God’s grace, it means cleansing ourselves of all evil habits, enthroning God in our hearts, and sharing Him with others.” And doing this demands great suffering and sacrifices.
Second condition is carrying ones cross. And this entails accepting to be a sacrifice for others, suffering for others, inconveniencing oneself, and doing it without complaints or bitterness in the heart.
The third condition is following Jesus, living our lives according to his words, teachings and ideals. It means, we must have listening ears, be ready to learn and give our time to know and understand our God. It means living in the spirit of Christ.
Each day, we need to ask ourselves who Jesus is, how we can follow him and what he expects from us and then act by doing that which he tells us daily.
We need to experience Jesus and surrender ourselves to him. And we need to accept our crosses, sacrifice our time, talents and treasure each day and walk along with him.
Heavenly Father, we are blessed and elevated by acts of self giving and sacrifice following Jesus our model. Grant us the grace to give ourselves for your service, to love unconditionally and unreservedly and at the end to win the battle of life through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
