Readings & Reflections with Cardinal Tagle’s Video: Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time B & St. Cornelius, September 16,2018

When Christ asks, “Who do people say that I am?” the disciples answer by identifying Jesus with the greatest men of their history: Elijah, John the Baptist, the prophets. But no one dares to call Jesus the Messiah of God… until Peter pipes up, claiming, “You are the Christ.” The change that has happened in Peter as a result of his union with Jesus can only be the work of God. It – mistakenly – prompts Peter to try to prevent Christ from undergoing his Passion. However, it is satanic to impede the Christ from accomplishing the greatest work of God. To follow after Christ in the work of faith, then, we rebuke all our insufficient reasoning. For if our conviction goes so far to embrace Christ and his Passion, who will prove us wrong?

AMDG+

Opening Prayer

“Lord Jesus, I profess and believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. You are my Lord and my Savior. Make my faith strong and help me to live in the victory of the cross by rejecting sin and by accepting your will.”  In your Name, I pray. Amen.

Reading 1
Is 50:5-9a – I gave my back to those who beat me.

The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right;
if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us appear together.
Who disputes my right?
Let that man confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help;
who will prove me wrong?

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 114:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R. (9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I love the LORD because he has heard
my voice in supplication,
Because he has inclined his ear to me
the day I called.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The cords of death encompassed me;
the snares of the netherworld seized upon me;
I fell into distress and sorrow,
And I called upon the name of the LORD,
“O LORD, save my life!”
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gracious is the LORD and just;
yes, our God is merciful.
The LORD keeps the little ones;
I was brought low, and he saved me.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For he has freed my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading II
Jas 2:14-18 – Faith, if it does not have works, is dead.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, ”
but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it?
So also faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead.

Indeed someone might say,
“You have faith and I have works.”
Demonstrate your faith to me without works,
and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.

The word of the Lord.

Gospel
Mk 8:27-35 – You are the Christ… the Son of Man must suffer greatly.

Bishop Robert Barron’s Homily – Faith perfected by love click below:

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.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection 1 – Following the Messiah

Dr. Scott Hahn’s Reflection click below:
Listen Here!

In today’s Gospel, we reach a pivotal moment in our walk with the Lord. After weeks of listening to His words and witnessing His deeds, along with the disciples we’re asked to decide who Jesus truly is.

Peter answers for them, and for us, too, when he declares: “You are the Messiah.”

Many expected the Messiah to be a miracle worker who would vanquish Israel’s enemies and restore the kingdom of David (see John 6:15).

Jesus today reveals a different portrait. He calls himself the Son of Man, evoking the royal figure Daniel saw in his heavenly visions (see Daniel 7:13-14). But Jesus’ kingship is not to be of this world (see John 18:36). And the path to His throne, as He reveals, is by way of suffering and death.

Jesus identifies the Messiah with the suffering servant that Isaiah foretells in today’s First Reading. The words of Isaiah’s servant are Jesus’ words — as He gives himself to be shamed and beaten, trusting that God will be His help. We hear our Lord’s voice again in today’s Psalm, as He gives thanks that God has freed Him from the cords of death.

As Jesus tells us today, to believe that He is the Messiah is to follow His way of self-denial — losing our lives to save them, in order to rise with Him to new life. Our faith, we hear again in today’s Epistle, must express itself in works of love (see Galatians 5:6).

Notice that Jesus questions the apostles today “along the way.” They are on the way to Jerusalem, where the Lord will lay down His life. We, too, are on a journey with the Lord.

We must take up our cross, giving to others and enduring all our trials for His sake and the sake of the gospel.

Our lives must be an offering of thanksgiving for the new life He has given us, until that day when we reach our destination, and walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

Finding Christ in the Psalms

Jesus taught His Apostles that the Book of Psalms speaks of Him and His mission. “Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and Psalms must be fulfilled,” He told them on the night of His Resurrection (see Luke 24:44).

Jesus applied specific Psalms to himself (see Matthew 21:42-44 and 22:41-46). So did the apostles in their preaching and writings (see Acts 2:25-35 and Hebrews 1:5-14).

This ancient practice continues in the liturgy. In the Psalms chosen for Sunday Mass readings, sometimes the Church invites us to hear a direct reference to Christ. Other times, we’re invited to hear the voice of Christ crying out to the Father. And still other times, we hear the Father talking to the Son.

Psalm 54 is heard this way in the readings for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Originally sung by David when he was betrayed by the Ziphites (see 1 Samuel 23:19-25 and 26:1-3), we’re invited to hear the Psalm as a confident appeal by Christ in His Passion: “Fierce men seek My life…Behold…the Lord sustains My life.”

The same is true of the use of Psalm 116 in the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B). We hear our Lord’s voice as He gives thanks that God has rescued Him, freed His soul from death and the snares of the nether world.

Reflection 2 – The Son of Man must suffer greatly

We all know that faith has been sowed in the hearts of God’s first disciples. Yet in today’s gospel reading, we see our Lord’s first disciples question Him when He taught them that the Son of man must soon die. “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.”

To follow Jesus means to surrender our lives to Him and willingly submit to God’s will. We cannot be a follower of Christ and then challenge His teachings and the way He wants us to live our lives. Jesus is either GOD and we submit to Him or He is not and we may go our own way.

In today’s gospel, we see Jesus rebuke Peter when he tried to lead Him according to Peter’s worldly way and bring Him out of what He believed He should do for the Father. Despite the fact He will give Peter the mandate to continue His work and establish His church, Jesus rebuked him when He said: “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Such act shows that in our work for the Lord we should have no partiality and apply God’s Word to every man. Such approach by Jesus was the needed response given the situation. It was not as gentle as some would expect which brings to light that love is relative given a situation.

James 2:14-18 conclusively say, “faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” This brings us to the issue that our faith should reveal our love relationship with God which should flow into our relationships with our neighbor.

If the need arises for us to rebuke or correct our neighbor for a wrongful act then we have to do it without regard of his role in community but always in God’s Name, according to His way, all in the spirit of love and encouragement to up build one another. We need to follow the model of Jesus when he rebuked Peter, the one He chose to build His Church. When Jesus did this, He did not mince His words, neither did He go around the bush but He went right to His point. He was not political in the way He expressed His love and concern.

Today’s first reading brings to light that we should not “show partiality” and be able to accept those who confront us because of some dispute or difference. We should not feel intimidated and afraid. We should not be defensive because “the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?”

In Mark’s gospel today, Jesus and his disciples were traveling between villages when He asked them who they believe He is. “You are the Christ,” Peter responded. But as soon as Jesus begun to describe what it means to be Christ – rejection, suffering and even death – Peter was found ambivalent and cold to what Jesus confided to them as he tried to discourage Jesus from talking about it.

In my own life, I am like Peter as I always avoid the most uncomfortable situations. I am not exactly a proponent for self denial and self giving neither do I face rejection and pain with an open heart.

Today my heart speaks that to be an authentic follower of Christ, I have to do more than just offer lip service. It’s not enough to say I am a follower of Jesus as Peter did but I need to live it and accept all that it means.

Our Catholic faith gives a preferential position for the poor as James 2 states, “God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom that he promised to those who love him”. However when suffering and death becomes the center of our life, when sharing and giving to others become more dominant than receiving, we get shaken and try to set our hearts and minds on something else. We try to pretend that we are not after all the people God has called into His service.

Jesus took His place among the poor. He chose rejection, suffering and death over power and influence. Today His invitation to all of us is no different. He wants us to pursue a life of self giving and self denial. He is asking us to bear our cross and follow Him. He wants us to stand next to Him in this life and be His healing balm, His instrument for love and healing. He wants us to deny ourselves and accept death to self by giving way to others and always opting to be last and least of all.

Today, let us resolve to follow Jesus, the true Christ! In our hearts let us deny ourselves and allow God to change us according to His plan and let Him perfect our faith, so that we may be poor in spirit as “the LORD hears the cries of the poor and from distress He saves them.”

Losing one’s life for God’s sake is the fruit and work of our faith which God expects from all of us. As such, faith without works is dead. Losing one’s life for God’s sake is pure faith and breeds new life. “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.”

Direction
Affirm that Jesus is the True Christ by following Him and His teachings, by applying His Word in all our affairs. Let Witness, Worship and Warfare be deeply founded in our lives.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me the wisdom to understand my faith and the strength to do your will. In that way I may find my new life in Jesus Who I proclaim is God and the true Christ, the Messiah. Amen.

Reflection 3 – Jesus’ goal as suffering Christ

Who is Jesus for you? What is His goal for us to follow? How important is our goal in life? Here’s a story of Florence Chadwick who earned her place in the record books by being the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. Yet in her next quest she nearly defeated herself. In 1952, the swimmer set out from Catalina Island, intent on reaching the fog-covered California coast 21 miles away. Numbed by cold and fatigue and unable to see the foggy shore, she gave up 15 hours later. She didn’t realize that there was just half a mile to go. She later admitted that it was her inability to keep sight of her goal that made her quit. Two months later, she tried again. The cold, the fatigue and the fog still plagued her. But this time she kept faith with herself. Then she became the first woman to accomplish this feat and also bested the men’s record by two hours.

The lesson from her life experience is to set your goal and never give up in the midst of suffering and trials in life.

In the Gospel, Jesus asked his disciples a question: Who do people say I am? The disciples were eager to give an answer: John the Baptist, Elijah, or the one of the prophets. Peter gave the answer: You are the Christ! Jesus realized that he had gotten it right. Now the time had come for Jesus to lead his disciples into the mystery of his suffering and to prepare them for what was to come. They would have to make a decision whether or not they wanted to remain, or, better, become his true disciples.

The way of Jesus as Christ led down to the cross, to Jerusalem. Peter, as their leader, gave the initial answer: No! Peter who gives the right answer to the question of who Jesus is, now took the initiative to tell Jesus what, according to his opinion, being the Messiah meant for God’s sake not suffering and violent death. He steps in front of the Lord and tells him so: I have been following you up to now, I walked behind you faithfully, but now I ask you to follow me, and let me indicate the way. Jesus’ answer is very harsh and uncompromising: Devil, get out of my way! If you want to be a follower of mine you’d better “Get behind me!” Get your feet into my footprints, Peter! From now on Jesus talks constantly about his cross and death: “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men; they will put him to death; and three days after he has been put to death, he will rise again.” This is the way of Jesus as Christ, the “Messiah”. Do you follow him as your Lord and Savior?

“Lord Jesus, I profess and believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. You are my Lord and my Savior. Make my faith strong and help me to live in the victory of the cross by rejecting sin and by accepting your will.”

Reflection 4 – Jesus Always Has the Cross

Hearing confessions of children is full of surprises. In preparing children for their first Communion, they had to go to their first Confession. Usually, most of them would be nervous and could hardly say the right words. I had this one funny experience. A boy said this to me: “Father, b-bless me for I have… Father, bless me for I have s-sinned. The…t-this is my f-first c-c- conf- confusion!”

During the time of Jesus, the people were confused. They had diverse ideas about him. They regarded him as a political messiah, a teacher, a healer, wonderworker, prophet, king, and many others besides. In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus asked his disciples a sort of a survey question:“Who do people say that I am?” He was not really interested in their answer. He was just testing them whether they were affected by the confusing ideas of people about him. His most important question, however, followed the first: “But who do you say that I am?”

This is the same question Jesus asks of us: “Who do you say that I am?” There are now thousands of religions and sects all over the world, each one preaching about Jesus. But we are not sure whether the Jesus they are preaching is the true Jesus. That is why many people are confused.

Peter gave the correct answer: “You are the Messiah.” But Jesus did two surprising things: first, “he warned them not to tell anyone about him” and second, he called Peter “Satan.” The name Satan means Adversary.

Although Peter gave the correct answer, this truth about the identity of Jesus was not yet to be made known to the people. Doing so prematurely would jeopardize his mission. The people would be very excited and agitated and this could threaten the Roman authorities. And secondly, the salvation that Jesus was to bring about was by way of the cross, and the people would not be able to understand and take it. So, his identity had to remain what is called the “Messianic Secret.”

Jesus also surprised everybody by rebuking Peter: “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” This was because, when Jesus was talking about his forthcoming sufferings and death on the cross, Peter objected and tried to dissuade him: “No! There must be some other way, not the cross! The cross is for criminals and evil-doers, not for you!” These words of Peter must have tempted Jesus. So, he quickly rebuked Peter with the harshest words ever: “Get behind me, Satan!”

Underlying these two surprising actions of Jesus is the reality of the cross. He had to keep his identity hidden from the people because of the cross he was about to carry. And He called Peter “Satan” because he was blocking him from taking up the cross.

Who is Jesus? In order not to be confused, there is one particular thing, which will definitely identify the true Jesus: it is the cross. The true Jesus always has the cross. There is no cross-less Jesus. That is why he said: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” He is the Suffering Servant of Yahweh that the Prophet Isaiah talks about in the first reading.

The cross has been the symbol of man’s cruelty. It has been used as the instrument of torture and death to punish criminals and enemies of the state. But Jesus was no criminal. He has no sin. He cannot be punished. Yet he was nailed to the cross. He voluntarily suffered and offered up his life on the cross as sacrifice to atone for man’s sins and offenses against God. From that time on, the cross became the most perfect symbol of self-sacrifice, love and salvation. Jesus said: “There is no greater love than for a man to lay down his life for his friends.”

Our journey as Christians is like climbing a mountain. It is an upward ascent to perfection and holiness. Jesus said: “Be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.” It is never easy. It is the way of the cross. It is the way of rendering good works and loving service to those in need as the Apostle James said in the second reading. It is the way of forgiveness and love, even love of our enemies. It is the way of self-denial in the midst of temptations to comfort and extravagance. It is never easy. So, if we are looking for an easy life, if we are looking for comfort and pleasure, beware! A quotation says: “If the going gets so easy, be careful! You may be going downhill!”

Tomorrow, the 14^th of September, we will celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation or the Triumph of the Cross. It seeks to remind us that we have to remain loyal to Jesus and to follow him no matter what lies ahead. The Suffering Servant in the book of the prophet Isaiah said these words: “I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.” “Setting one’s face like flint” means to look straightforward; to focus oneself towards one direction, never turning his head to other distractions. This is precisely what the Lord wants us to do. He walks ahead of us with the cross on his shoulders. Let us follow him, with our faces set like flint, knowing that he will lead us to victory and eternal glory (Source: Fr. Mike Lagrimas, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Palmera Springs 3, Susano Road, Camarin, Novaliches, Caloocan City 1422).

Reflection 5 – Who do you say that Jesus is?

Who is Jesus for you – and what difference does he make in your life? Many in Israel recognized Jesus as a mighty man of God, even comparing him with the greatest of the prophets. Peter, always quick to respond whenever Jesus spoke, professed that Jesus was truly the “Christ of God” – “the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). No mortal being could have revealed this to Peter, but only God. Through the “eyes of faith” Peter discovered who Jesus truly was. Peter recognized that Jesus was much more than a great teacher, prophet, and miracle worker. Peter was the first apostle to publicly declare that Jesus was the Anointed One, consecrated by the Father and sent into the world to redeem a fallen human race enslaved to sin and cut off from eternal life with God (Luke 9:20, Acts 2:14-36). The word for “Christ” in Greek is a translation of the Hebrew word for “Messiah” – both words literally mean theAnointed One.

Jesus begins to explain the mission he was sent to accomplish 
Why did Jesus command his disciples to be silent about his identity as the anointed Son of God? They were, after all, appointed to proclaim the good news to everyone. Jesus knew that they did not yet fully understand his mission and how he would accomplish it. Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD), an early church father, explains the reason for this silence:

God’s Anointed Son must suffer and die to atone for our sins
Jesus told his disciples that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and die in order that God’s work of redemption might be accomplished. How startled the disciples were when they heard this word. How different are God’s thoughts and ways from our thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8). It was through humiliation, suffering, and death on the cross that Jesus broke the powers of sin and death and won for us eternal life and freedom from the slavery of sin and from the oppression of our enemy, Satan, the father of lies and the deceiver of humankind.

We, too, have a share in the mission and victory of Jesus Christ
If we want to share in the victory of the Lord Jesus, then we must also take up our cross and follow where he leads us. What is the “cross” that you and I must take up each day? When my will crosses (does not align) with God’s will, then his will must be done. To know Jesus Christ is to know the power of his victory on the cross where he defeated sin and conquered death through his resurrection. The Holy Spirit gives each of us the gifts and strength we need to live as sons and daughters of God. The Holy Spirit gives us faith to know the Lord Jesus personally as our Redeemer, and the power to live the Gospel faithfully, and the courage to witness to others the joy, truth, and freedom of the Gospel. Who do you say that Jesus is?

“Lord Jesus, I believe and I profess that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Take my life, my will, and all that I have, that I may be wholly yours now and forever.” – Read the source: https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/2018/sep16.htm

Reflection 6 – Christ’s gift to us

The reading from today’s gospel takes place half-way through Mark’s account. The disciples have been listening to Jesus for some time, and now – like any teacher – Jesus decides to give an exam, to see what his students have learned. The disciples have obviously been listening, for they come up with some very good answers to the first question: “Who do men say that I am?” The answers are wrong, but they show that the disciples have been thinking.

The second question, “Who do you say that I am?” ought to have taken more thought, but Peter replies at once, “You are the Christ!” This answer is correct, at least on the surface, but as the conversation unfolds, we realize that Peter has altogether no notion of what it means to be “the Christ.”

One thing that makes Peter so lovable is his forthright honesty. Jesus rebukes him today, but the rebuke is a testimony to Peter’s willingness to share his convictions. Ultimately, he gets the answer wrong, but at least he had the courage to answer Jesus’ question. The other disciples – can we find ourselves in their midst? – take a safer course, and decline to answer the question at all.

Peter’s reply allows Jesus to teach an essential, and very frightening, lesson: “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Whatever anyone may have thought about Jesus up to this point, he makes it clear that those who are serious about being his disciples will find themselves in a very exclusive – but not necessarily comfortable – club.

The Gospel is a story told about us, so Jesus’ question to his disciples is one that we must answer, as they did, with their lives. We can lose our lives by remaining silent in the face of Jesus’ question, or we can save our lives by offering them up.

What gives the disciples the courage to follow Christ is undoubtedly the assurance of his company along the way. What gives us similar courage is the companionship he offers us in the sacraments. When we were young we learned that the sacraments are signs, that is, objects or actions Jesus identified as vehicles to share his life with us. Our catechism teaches us that the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, “manifest and communicate … the mystery of communion with the God who is love” (CCC:1118). What this means is that Jesus chose elements of our everyday existence and gave them the power to go beyond themselves so that they continually reveal his love for us.

The disciples clung to Jesus, and after the Ascension they locked themselves away in fear, for they had no idea what to do without him. The sacraments allow us to bridge the years and all the miles that separate us from Jesus’ physical presence, which was so important to the disciples. They open window onto eternity and let us experience Christ’s presence as if we were sitting among those whom Jesus taught.

The sacraments are ordered to the moments and needs of our lives. Baptism, confirmation and Holy Orders we receive only once because they identify once and for all the role Christ’s Spirit calls us to play in the life of the Church.

Baptism, the first sacrament we receive, unites us to Christ’s death and gives us new birth in the Holy Spirit. Confirmation brings the grace of baptism to perfection, strengthening our bond to the Church and helping us to identify our lives with the Church’s life and mission. Holy Orders equips deacons, priests and bishops to serve the needs of the faithful through teaching, presiding at the Church’s worship, and directing the ministry of the local Church (CCC:1592).

Matrimony and the sacrament of the sick equip us to undertake special duties at particular moments in our lives. St. Paul calls Christian marriage a sign of Christ’s love for the Church, and when they marry, Christians embrace the challenge to reflect that love. From Old Testament times, anointing has set an individual apart for some special ministry; those who receive the sacrament of the sick become signs of the suffering Christ in our midst.

The Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation are the constant aids by which we nurture our lives with Christ and repair the relations that our actions have broken or strained.

The sacraments are Christ’s gifts to us that enable us to be gifts to the Church. When we receive the sacraments, Christ’s image is refined in us and becomes more evident in our actions. Jesus commanded his followers to “go… and make disciples of all nations.” Our sacramental lives draw us closer to Christ, and provide the strength and courage we need to preach the Gospel with our words and the example of our lives. (Source: Rev. Reginald Martin, O.P., “Homilies on the Liturgies of Sundays and Feasts,” Homiletic & Pastoral Review, Vol. CIX, No. 11/12. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, August/September 2009, pp. 35-36; Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1113-1134).

Reflection 7 – Confrontation

Today’s Gospel is a confronting one. The Gospels are often confronting, and all too often we respond too easily, “Praise be to you, Lord Jesus!” Whereas we might be more reserved if we were at Caesarea Philippi, and heard these awesome words, “Whoever would save his life will lose it” (Mk 8:35). Clearly, Peter had not already made this precept his own, and maybe up to Our Lord’s death, he had not made this precept his own—for voicing an oath, he denied Jesus during his arrest and sham trial leading to his tortured execution (Mk 14:71). And, it is likely, that most of my hearers today, and maybe even the preacher, have not have made this precept their own. Typically, the tests that we face under this precept are not momentous, as they were for those first disciples. Typically, our tests are so small that we even do not notice them—even do not notice that we fail the precept, fail the test.

We do not notice because we do not recognize that small, self-serving acts are denials of this precept. When we keep quiet when a small injustice is done (or even where a large injustice is done!); when we step aside from taking an action because it would be inconvenient to us; when we unthinkingly and unnecessarily detract another person. All such actions, or inactions, follow the precept of “saving one’s life,” and in fact “lose one’s life.” While the contrary actions, even if they do not quite “lose one’s life”—since they may be but small inconveniences—nevertheless, in a cumulative sense, tend toward the “losing of one’s life.” Yet, in the precept, as here enunciated by Our Lord, brings one to “gain one’s life.” One may “gain one’s life” where small and cumulative acts signal and enact a life that is true to the precept of Christ our Savior.

The more that we are habituated to such “losing one’s life,” the more we are able to say with the prophet Isaiah, as in today’s Old Testament reading: “The Lord is my help, therefore, I am not disgraced…” (Is 50:7). In this manner, we are less inclined to what is convenient and self-serving to ourselves, or by the general expectations of those with whom we have to deal. In brief, for most of us, it is not in high drama, but in low and everyday drama that we “lose our lives” and enter the discipline of Christ that “saves our lives”! With ourselves, and with our children, and with our friends, and with our adversaries, we should not allow onto our lips, and into our attitudes, the sentiments of St Peter when he rebuked Our Lord in his prophecy of suffering. Sometimes, it is even the Prince of the Apostles, even a Pope, even a Bishop, who can show us what should not be our attitude and behavior by their very attitudes and behaviors that are contrary to those of Jesus! St. Mark the Evangelist wants us to note this! He wants us to note well that our reference point should not firstly be bishops, priests, and deacons, but Jesus, and with ourselves in direct relation to Jesus as a disciple who is under the Savior’s discipline: “He who would follow me…” (Mk 8:34).

With this perspective in view, we are now poised to notice something else that is crucial in this Gospel excerpt of today: “But turning and seeing his disciples, Jesus rebuked Peter…” (Mk 8:33). I want you to focus on that phrase, turning and seeing his disciples. You see, it is for us, for those who should follow afterwards, that Jesus embraces the Way of the Cross.

The prophecy of the Passion was Jesus’ answer to the will of God the Father; but the will of God the Father was for the restoration of a fallen race, for our restoration to divine grace and favor. And it is the sight of his disciples that so surely orients Our Lord in his enacted adherence to his prophecy of the Passion. In the exact context here examined, “his disciples” are the Eleven (twelve minus Peter), but in our contemporary reading, “the disciples” are the common folk—the people in the pews today, and the people who are not in the church pews today. It is for such persons to whom Jesus turns; and in turning, views, and in seeing, rebukes, rebukes the first among the Twelve, who would have the Master turn aside from what was “saving his life.” For Jesus did indeed “save his life” by “losing his life”: his Resurrection and Ascension and Glorification are the corollary of his “losing his life,” according to the precept he here enunciates, and according to the saving will of God the Father. It is for us, the weak and sinful; it is for “turning to us” that Jesus walked the Way of the Cross! In all the events and acts of our lives, this fact must be our guide: Jesus has gone before us, and goes before us. We as disciples follow; and as disciples, do “save our lives”!

Lastly, let us note the sober words of St James: our discipleship is not of words, or not firstly of words, but of actions: our faith is “demonstrated by our works” (Jas 2:18). – Read the source: http://www.hprweb.com/2015/08/homilies-for-september-2015/

Reflection 8 – Have faith in him

In the Gospel, we proclaim today from the Evangelist Mark, the Lord Jesus asks us the question of questions- “Who do people say that I am?” The answer to this question changes everything for us. If we say that this man, Jesus, is just a historical figure, someone in the past, then we can ignore him if we so choose. If we say that this man, Jesus, is just a wise and gentle teacher, then we can likewise ignore him, if we so choose. However, if we say that this man is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, as Saint Peter confesses today, then we must respond to him, either negatively by rejecting him and his teachings or, if we are honest, by totally, completely, utterly configuring our lives to him.

Who is Jesus? We have to look at the question both objectively and subjectively. Objectively, what does the Church teach about Jesus? Subjectively, what do I believe about Jesus and, if I believe what the Church teaches, then I have to respond accordingly.

So, then, who is Jesus? Well, no one in his or her right mind can ever doubt that there was a man named Jesus from Nazareth who lived and who died. Biblical scholars and historians can date the epistles of Saint Paul within 25 years of Jesus’s death and the earliest Gospel accounts within 40 years of Jesus’ death. Now, the objection can come in that these scriptural accounts are documents of faith; yes, that is true, but they are also documents of history.

If we were to go simply to non-Christian sources, there are plenty of them, too. A Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, writing in 93AD, mentioned the existence of Jesus, and later, the Roman politicians Pliny the Younger and Tacitus, are explicit about the existence of a man named Jesus. In fact, Tacitus’ report on Jesus pretty much matches what the Gospels relate to us concerning the facts of Jesus’s life. Even the Roman writers Lucian and Celsus write about Jesus, albeit negatively. With all these facts at our disposal from the ancient Roman world, which was not pro-Christian to say the least, we can say that it is absurd to doubt whether or not Jesus Christ existed and that he is an invention of the early Christians.

With that being the case then, what do we know about Jesus? The answer can come in three ways: first, from his very name; second, from the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed; and third, from the clear teaching that is the gift of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. First, Jesus’ name- it means “God Saves” in Hebrew. What does this tell us about Jesus? It means that it is he who was sent to save us from our sins. The title “Christ” is Greek for “anointed one” or “Messiah.” So, if we were to put the name of the Lord Jesus together with the title or adjective most properly and most commonly given to him, we could see that he is JESUS CHRIST, or “the Messiah who saves!” In theological terms, we call the study of who Jesus is “Christology” and we call the study of what he does as “Soteriology,” namely the study of how Jesus who is God saves us. When we say the name, Jesus Christ, we are making a statement of faith!

The Creeds we confess on Sundays and Solemnities at Mass as well as every time we pray the Rosary tell us the basics of what we need to know about Jesus. They tell us, in all simplicity, of his divine origins, that he was born of the Virgin Mary, that he suffered, died, and was buried, and that has risen from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and that he will come again to judge the living and the dead. The Creeds really are the symbol of our faith. They encapsulate all that we believe about the Lord Jesus. They boil down the faith of the early Church.

Finally, the Catechism, Part One, Section Two, Chapter Two, Article 2, # 430-455, can serve as a good primer for us as to who exactly Jesus is. So, with all these being said, who is Jesus? He is the Son of God, the Second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity; One Divine Person with two natures, divine and human, fully God and fully man. He is a man like us in all things, but sin. Simply put, he is God and his word is true.

Now, let’s take it a bit further- what are we to do with this information, once we know by faith that Jesus is God? We have to live our lives in accordance with his teachings! We have to be like him, striving in this life to be with him, please God, in the next! We have to see all human life, from conception to natural death, all people, in his image and likeness, and love, as he taught us, our neighbor as we love ourselves! This is the basic message today of the Epistle we proclaim this day from the Apostle James- our faith leads to our good works, all done in the Holy Name of Christ Jesus. Easier said than done, right? Yes, if we think, as we hear in the Gospel, not as God does, but as man does! If we accept Jesus as our Lord and God, then we have to take up our own unique cross in this life. But it is not impossible, with the Lord, carrying us along when we are too weak to even crawl. As the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah reminds us, he is our help. Trust in him; cling to him. Have faith in him. Let the words of the Psalmist from our readings today be our prayer:

“I love the LORD because he has heard
my voice in supplication,
Because he has inclined his ear to me
the day I called.”

Read the source: https://www.hprweb.com/2018/09/homilies-for-september-2018/

Reflection 9 – Christian advertising

Nine young soldiers had received overnight passes from their base camp. When morning came, not one of the nine was present. An hour after their absence was noted the first soldier straggled back into camp. He was immediately taken before his company commander.

“I’m sorry to be late, sir,” the soldier said, “but I had a date, lost track of time, and missed the last bus. I wanted to make it back on time so I took a taxi. About half way back to camp, the cab broke down so I went to the nearest farm and bought a horse. As I was riding on the horse, the animal suddenly fell to the ground and died. So I did the last miles on foot and here I am.”

Although he was skeptical about the chain of weird excuses, the company commander let the young man off with a mild lecture on the virtues of punctuality. Thereafter seven more stragglers reported in, one by one, each with the same story! They had a date, lost track of the time, missed the last bus, took a cab, cab broke down, bought a horse, horse fell dead.

Finally, the ninth and last soldier arrived. Now totally exasperated, the commanding officer growled, “What happened to you?”

The ninth man replied, “Sir, I had a date, lost track of the time, missed the last bus, hired a taxi…”

“Wait a minute! Wait a minute!” cried the officer.” Are you going to tell me that the cab broke down?”

“No, sir,” the soldier replied. “The taxi was fine. The problem was we couldn’t get through. There were so many dead horses on the road.”

And that’s our theme for today: we have a message, a Christian message, words of wisdom, a great tradition–but nothing gets through. Nothing gets through because the Good News comes out bad news. Think, for example, of the commercials you see all day long. Look at the people in them: neat, well-dressed, smiling, happy with their product, smelling great, hair gleaming, underarms sterilized, bodies firm, homes comfortable, and lives stress-free. Thanks to the product touted, there is no blemish untouched, no breath unscented, no fingernail unpolished. Laughter, joy, and the good life abound in commercial land.

And then here comes Christianity. We all know what its Founder said. It’s all there in the gospel. Jesus says, “The one who saves his life will lose it.” Again: “They will manhandle you and persecute you. …You will be delivered up even by your parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.” Again: “Unless you take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of the kingdom.” And about Paul: “I will show him how much he must suffer for the Gospel’s sake.” So, it comes down to this. Christianity is perceived as saying, “We offer you pain, suffering, rejection, sorrow, imprisonment, and death. Our heroes are Peter on the cross, John in boiling oil, Lawrence on the grill, Linus on the rack, and John of the Cross in the looney bin. We guarantee that you will get tortured, garroted, quartered, and killed. Won’t you join us?”

I ask you, when people say, for example, that such and such a priest is so holy, what do they mean? They usually mean that he looks emaciated, irritated, and constipated. His eyes are rolled upward and he is thin, wan, and frail because he is “spiritual,” that is, he’s far from earthy, fleshy things and near to expiration, the realm of the pure soul. And if that weren’t enough, often as not Christian art offers us models of saints who look undernourished, piqued, and tubercular. Again, would you join such a club, one whose chief product is the cross? Not when you have Club Med staring you in the face.

There’s something wrong, and that something is the way we read the cross. “Unless you take up your cross daily and follow me, you are not worthy of me.” The cross here means commitment. And that we can understand because that’s the way we live. If, for example, you want to star in the Olympics, you must take up your cross daily, every day. There’s no doubt about that. And you suffer. You forgo entertainments, certain foods, leisure time, and commit yourself to an unrelenting routine of practice and self-discipline. If you want to be a doctor or lawyer or whatever, there are the crosses of commitment to bear: long hours of study and practice and internship and so on. If you want your marriage to be successful, you take up your cross daily: patience, forgiveness, attentiveness.

And if you want to be a disciple of Jesus you take up your cross, the price of your commitment: fidelity in a world of institutionalized infidelity, ethics over job advancement, compassion over greed, forgiveness over revenge. There is a “cost” to such commitments; hence, the cross. But there is, of course, the by-product, too often neglected in our advertising: joy. The joy of receiving the gold medal, the joy of the degree behind your name, the joy of a loving partner, the joy of achievement, the joy of being a whole person, the joy of integrity, the joy even of hardship. How many couples, looking back over the first years of their marriage when they had nothing but each other, exclaim wistfully, “Those were tough years, but we were happy.” You see, testimony to the “cross,” to the pain that commitment always brings, but also to the joy that it brings.

Not the least of which is the love of God. The saints were happy in it. Mary, who knew hard times, spoke of it: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Paul and Barnabas actually sang in prison. Francis chanted his canticle to Brother Sun and Sister Moon. Thomas Aquinas–all 300 pounds of him–wrote hymns of exquisite joy. Saints knew happiness even when disdained for their commitment to beauty and truth. They knew laughter in dispute, contentment in adversity, and inner peace in distress. St. Teresa of Avila told jokes on her detractors, John Bosco danced with the children, and G.K. Chesterton wrote witty verses and clever stories.

The point is that Jesus is saying nothing more than what human nature knows: no gain without pain, no crown without the cross, no humanity without commitment–and commitment always brings the cross as it always brings joy. This is why Jesus also said, “So you have pain now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”

Christianity has suffered from poor advertising. The cross has been downsized to mean depressing hardship for its own sake. Joy has not been placed in the forefront where it should be. But we Christians should reverse that. It’s not, “Come and join us and die.” It’s “Come and join us and live!” for Jesus has come to give life and give it abundantly. (Source: Rev. William J. Bausch, Story Telling the Word. Connecticut: Twenty-Third Publications, 2002, pp. 271-274).

Reflection 10 – You are the Messiah 

“The Gospel of today’s liturgy directs our thoughts towards the Apostle Peter who, later in his life, in Rome, was to become the foundation of the faith of the whole Church….

“Peter, who has professed that Jesus in the Messiah… takes his Master aside and rebukes him What does this “rebuke” mean? It means that he tries to convince Jesus that what he has said cannot happen, that such a mission and death cannot happen to him, precisely because he is the Messiah, because he has been sent by God and anointed with the Holy Spirit.

“And how does Christ react? He in turn rebukes Peter, in words that are very severe. He says, Get behind me, Satan! Because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s (Mk 8:33).

“Yes, Peter already believed in Christ, but he was not yet ready to accept the whole truth about Christ. Like so many of his contemporaries, Peter was thinking of the Messiah in human terms: he saw Jesus as he one who could restore freedom to Israel.

“But in fact the full truth about Christ, about the Messiah, did soon become known. It became known exactly as Jesus foretold. And only then did Peter believe: he believed that the Messiah sent by God was the Crucified and Risen Christ.

“Peter professed and proclaimed this truth about Christ, beginning on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem right up to the day when for the sake of this truth he gave his life on the Vatican Hill in Rome. And be believing and teaching this, Peter thought and spoke in God’s way and not in man’s.

“In the light of Peter’s profession of faith, what does it mean that Christ is the Good Shepherd? It means that he offers his life for the sheep (Jn 10:11). When the Psalmist of the Old Testament boldly proclaimed: The Lord is my shepherd, his inspired words foretold a Shepherd who would offer his life for the flock, for all people; a Shepherd who would redeem them all with the sacrifice of his own death on the cross.

“What, then, must we do, dear brothers and sisters, to keep this covenant with our God?… We must believe in the Word of God. And we must also confirm our faith with works which are born of faith: Faith is like that: if good works do not go with it, it is quite dead (Jas 2:17).

“And one of the first good works which flow from faith, one that is so desperately needed in this place and everywhere, is the work of reconciliation: reconciliation with God, reconciliation with one another (Source: Saint John Paul II, +2005, Magnificat, Vol. 17, No. 7, September 2015, pp. 169-170). 

Reflection 11 – The Son of Man must suffer greatly

In this Sunday’s Gospel, after Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say that I am” he asks them, “Who do you say that I am? Peter said to him in reply, ‘You are the Christ’’’ (Mk 8:27-35). Then Jesus teaches them, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected … and be killed, and rise after three days” (Mk 8:31). What does this mean? It is the call of Jesus to be his disciple that includes our willingness to go with His experience at the cross, to suffer and be rejected before sharing his resurrection. There are already thousands of saints who followed Jesus’ way of the cross. Here are the witnesses from the saints. Blessed Philip Rinaldi (+1931) wrote: “Before all else, the first things you have to do is pray for courage everyday to carry the cross the Lord has assigned you. Then let each of you do your own work really well, the work proper to your state, as God wants it, and according to your condition, which means according to the spirit of the Lord.” St. Joseph Catasso (+1860) said, “Whatever I shall have to do or suffer in this miserable life, I intend that it be proof of love for my God, so that living, I shall live only to love, and dying, I may die in order to love still more.” St. Philip Neri (+1595) wrote: “Sufferings are a kind of paradise to him who suffers them with patience, while they are a hell to him who has no patience.” St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart (+1770) wrote: “Always receive with equal contentment from God’s hand either consolations or sufferings, peace or distress, health or illness. Ask nothing, refuse nothing, but always be ready to do and to suffer anything that comes from His Providence.” Blessed Jaime Hilario Barbal (+1937) said, “The day you learn to surrender yourself totally to God, you will discover a new world, just as I am experiencing. You will enjoy a peace and a calm unknown, surpassing even the happiest days of your life.” St. Rose of Lima (+1617) wrote: “Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.” St. Therese of Lisieux (+1897) said, “I understood that to become a saint one had to suffer much, seek out always the most perfect thing to do, and forget self.” Saint Pope John Paul II (+2005) said, “By means of the Cross of Christ, the Evil One has been defeated, death is overcome, life is given to us, hope is restored, and light is imparted. Hail, O Cross, our only hope…. What, then, must we do?… We must believe in the Word of God. And we must also confirm our faith with works which are born of faith: Faith is like that: if good works do not go with it, it is quite dead (Jas 2:17)…. How do I follow the Lord as to be counted among His saints? For more reflection on our Cross by Archbishop Fulton Sheen click this link: http://www.pagadiandiocese.org/2014/05/16/archbishop-fulton-sheen-our-cross/

Reflection 12 – It’s Not A Game

Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. —Mark 8:34

My former neighbor often talked about “the game of life,” and I can understand why he did. It’s part of human nature to approach life as one big game made up of a lot of little games. Competing can be fun, exciting, and stimulating.

But life is a whole lot more than a game—especially for a follower of Jesus Christ. When a believer needs to own the biggest house, drive the largest SUV, get the promotion first, and win every argument, something’s terribly wrong from God’s point of view. It’s not right to run over people’s feelings, bend or break the rules, and gloat over victories.

To approach life as one big game that you always have to win is to live in hopeless delusion and fantasy. While material possessions, professional success, and personal victories are enjoyable, they last only for this life. Then they’re all left behind.

Jesus instructed His disciples to deny themselves, identify with His cross, and follow Him in self-denial, and for some that even meant death (Mark 8:34-35). He made it clear to His disciples that artificial victories in “the game of life” don’t count for much. What really counts is what’s done for the Lord.  — David C. Egner

If I have but Jesus, only Jesus—
Nothing else in all the world beside—
O then everything is mine in Jesus;
For my needs and more He will provide. —Olander

Those who live for God are the real winners in life (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 13 – Recognizing Christ requires faith and simplicity

With the invitation to recognize that Christ answers to our expectations of truth and love by an outstanding way.

1) Recognizing Christ.

The entire Gospel of St. Mark intends to answer to the question “Who is Jesus?” But in the passage that we read today, it is Jesus that explicitly puts the question “Who do you say that I am?”. Therefore we are obliged to respond.

In the previous chapters that we have read in the past few Sundays, Jesus did not answer to this question with a definition of himself, but with the actions that manifest what He is by what He does:

• He does make the lame walk. He is the One who gives man the ability to walk through life;
• He does make the deaf hear and the mute speak. He is the one who has the words of life that explain life;
• He does raise the dead. He is the Giver of life;
• He does make the blind see. He is the Light that gives the light and carries us to light;
• He does calm the waters of the sea. He is Lord of nature;
• He does give the bread in the desert. He is the One who nourishes body and soul.

The conclusion that we should reach seeing his “doing”, should be ” He is the Messiah (in Greek: the Christ).” Unfortunately the people of that time, and many even today, did not grasp the novelty and greatness of Jesus. To the question “Who do you say that I am” the response of the majority is that this “doer” is nothing more than a prophet like those who had preceded him. Then, Jesus asks the question to his disciples “And who do you say that I am?” Peter, also on behalf of the others, responds promptly “You are the Christ!” Peter recognizes clearly that Jesus is the Messiah. He gives an answer that is accurate. There is no other answer. Christ, dead and risen, is the one in whom it is accomplished the impossible, the unthinkable, the only fact that can change the course of human history. Without him, a man or a woman is “human being destined to death” (Martin Heidegger), while if he or she is “tied” to the Cross, he or she is “untied” from death.

Moreover, it must be remembered that the response of St. Peter implies a further recognition: that of crucified love. The logic of the cross “is not the one of pain and death, ma the one of love and gift of self that carries life”.(Pope Francis)

It is the way of the Cross that completes the speech, making it clear. When the Chief of the Apostles tells him “You are the Christ,” Jesus feels the need to point out that he is the Son of God, who must suffer many things. Therefore, to the question that today Jesus puts to us “Who do you say that I am?” the complete response is “You are the Christ, the Love crucified and risen.” In fact, St. Paul writes “If Christ had not risen, our faith would be in vain”, and he knew that the cross is not an obstacle to salvation. It is the condition. “The Cross is not a pole of the Romans, but the wood on which God wrote the Gospel” (Alda Merini, 1931-2009, poetess).   From Christ on the Cross, the world receives a new dimension, that of Jesus and of all those who, following Him, give their lives for the others.

The Messiah invites us to follow him always up to Calvary because, by walking behind his Cross, we model our lives on the one of ‘”Lamb that teaches us the strength, of the Humiliated that gives lesson in dignity, of the Condemned that enhances justice, of the Dying that confirms life, and of the Crucified that prepares glory “(Father Primo Mazzolari, 1809-1959, priest and writer).

Following Christ and believing in Charity, we keep our arms and a heart open like the Crucifix. Of course, to do this we have to recognize, like St Peter, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior. Like St. Peter we have to accept the Cross as the “key” with which the Lord has opened the Heaven and closed hell for all those who receive him. The Redeemer took this heavy “Key” on his shoulders, felt its full weight and responsibility while its nails pierced his flesh and bound him to it. Christ has given this “key” of the Kingdom to St. Peter, calling him to be crucified with Him and to carry with him the sweet and light yoke on his shoulders so to learn the humility and the meekness with which “to untie” humanity from the bondage of the world, the flesh and the devil, and ” to tie” them to Christ in an eternal covenant that will make them forever children of the Heavenly Father. In a poetic homily attributed to St. Ephrem the Syrian, this saint imagines that the good thief after his death comes to the door of paradise. On his shoulders, he bears his cross. A cherubim, the one with a sword flickering like a flame (Gen 3:24) that blocks the access to Heaven of criminals who are not worthy of eternal joy, hastens. St Ephrem describes a heated argument between the cherubim and the good thief. It ends when the good thief shows the key to heaven’s gate. What is, then, the key to paradise? The cross, his cross transfigured by the life-giving Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The cross opens the door of life to all of us who believe in Jesus Christ like the good thief. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” The life of Christ triumphs in all repentant sinners, even those of the last minute like the good thief.

We, the sinner of today, are called to understand that it is not only a matter of recognizing with our faith Christ as the sent by the Father but to be his witnesses with a Christian life which is the ability of loving up to the supreme sacrifice.

2) True love, because crucified love.

Of course, like St Peter, we too try to remove Christ from the Way of the Cross. It is the temptation that comes from the devil. It is an attempt to divert us from the path outlined by God (the Way of the Cross) to replace it with a path drawn up by the wisdom of men, what is often referred to as the common sense.

Christ has unmasked and overcame this temptation, and his life was a constant yes to God and a no to the tempter. Jesus defeated the devil. But the devil tries to get from the disciple what he failed to obtain from the Master: to separate the Messiah from the Crucified and the faith in Jesus the King from his throne that is the Cross.

After stating his identity and having unmasked the presence of temptation, Jesus turns to his disciples and to the people and very clearly offers them his way. There are no two ways, one for Jesus and one for the disciples, but only one “Who wants to come after me must deny himself and take up his cross.”

The cross is symbol and icon of virginal love. It is the more authentic synthesis of the received and donated love, of crucified love. In fact, nothing like the cross gives the certainty of being loved from ever, forever, totally and unconditionally. The true face of God is the one of the Crucified (Jurgen Moltaman). If we present Christ to the world with its true face, people can feel him like a convincing answer and are able to follow him and his message, even if it is demanding and marked by the cross.

It is true that the cross is “a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles” (1 Cor 1.18 to 24) and that it is difficult for each of us to understand and accept it. But if we look, for instance, at the example of the consecrated virgins in the world we are helped to understand, accept and live the cross.

Love lived virginally is a crucified love not because it is a mortified love, but because it is a “sacrificial” love, namely made sacred by the total gift of oneself to God.  Virgin love is the love of Christ, who “practiced” a crucified love. For love, Jesus experienced progressively emptying himself up to the cross. If we want to love as Christians, we need to know it and do like Him. This way of love puts the other before me and the Other (God) above me. The cross is the greatest sign of the greatest love, and virginity is the crucifixion of themselves to give themselves to God, to be nailed to his love embracing Christ on the Cross.

The consecrated virgins are a significant and high example that God’s love is totalitarian. You must love the Lord “with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength” (Mk 12, 30).

These women show that a body and a heart chastely offered, do not take man away from God, but make the human being closer to God more than the angels (cf. Eph 1:14), and that Christian life is a progressive configuration to the crucified and risen Christ. In fact, as Christ’s love for us led Him to the cross, our love for Him ingrains in us his wounds of love. Love purifies us and configures us in transfiguring us. It should be noted that compliance with the painful crucified Christhas the ultimate goal to bring the Christian to the joyful compliance with the risen Christ.

Virginity is not simply a waiver, but it is the manifestation of fierce love for God and for the neighbor.  It is a love that transforms the lover into the Beloved. Virginity lived as crucifixion is to bear witness that Love, with the gift of self, has won. Virginity lived as resurrection is to testify that the Bridegroom is really present in everyday life and his condescending presence gives full and complete joy (see Jn 3:29). Virginity is freedom, it is a sign of a perfect love that has no impatience, envy or jealousy, and that, radiating joy, ensures peace.

These women give testimony that it is impossible not to try to be like Him and to bring in the world the joy of his presence.

Patristic Reading: Saint Augustine of Hyppo

Sermon XLVI. [XCVI. Ben.]

On the words of the gospel, Mc 8,34 “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself,” etc.

1). Hard and grievous does that appear which the Lord hath enjoined, that “whosoever will come after Him, must deny himself.”1 But what He enjoineth is not hard or grievous, who aideth us that what He enjoineth may be done. For both is that true which is said to Him in the Psalm, “Because of the words of Thy lips I have kept hard ways.”2 And that is true which He said Himself, “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”3 For whatsoever is hard in what is enjoined us, charity makes easy. We know what great things love itself can do. Very often is this love even abominable and impure; but how great hardships have men suffered, what indignities and intolerable things have they endured, to attain to the object of their love? whether it be a lover of money who is called covetous; or a lover of honour, who is called ambitious; or a lover of beautiful women, who is called voluptuous. And who could enumerate all sorts of loves? Yet consider what labour all lovers undergo, and are not conscious of their labours; and then does any such one most feel labour, when he is hindered from labour. Since then the majority of men are such as their loves are, and that there ought to be no other care for the regulation of our lives, than the choice of that which we ought to love; why dost thou wonder, if he who loves Christ, and who wishes to follow Christ, for the love of Him denies himself? For if by loving himself man is lost, surely by denying himself be is found.

2. The first destruction of man, was the love of himself. For if he had not loved himself, if he had preferred God to himself, he would have been willing to be ever subject unto God; and would not have been turned to the neglect of His will, and the doing his own will. For this is to love one’s self, to wish to do one’s own will. Prefer to this God’s will; learn to love thyself by not loving thyself. For that ye may know that it is a vice to love one’s self, the Apostle speaks thus, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves.”4 And can he who loves himself have any sure trust in himself? No; for he begins to love himself by forsaking God, and is driven away from himself to love those things which are beyond himself; to such a degree that when the aforesaid Apostle had said,” Men shall be lovers of their own selves,” he subjoined immediately, “lovers of money.” Already thou seest that thou art without. Thou hast begun to love thyself: stand in thyself if thou canst. Why goest thou without? Hast thou, as being rich in money, become a lover of money? Thou hast begun to love what is without thee, thou hast lost thyself. When a man’s love then goes even away froth himself to those things which are without, he begins to share thevanity of his vain desires, and prodigal as it were to spend his strength. He is dissipated, exhausted, without resource or strength, he feeds swine; and wearied with this office of feeding swine, he at last remembers what he was, and says, “How many hired servants of my Father’s are eating bread, and I here perish with hunger!”5 But when the son in the parable says this, what is said of him, who had squandered all he had on harlots, who wished to have in his own power what was being well kept for him with his father; he wished to have it at his own disposal, he squandered all, he was reduced to indigence: what is said of him? “And when he returned to himself.” If“he returned to himself,” he had gone away from himself. Because he had fallen from himself, had gone away from himself, he returns first to himself, that he may return to that state from which he had fallen away by falling from himself. For as by falling away from himself, he remained in himself; so by returning to himself, he ought not to remain in himself, lest he again go away from himself. Returning then to himself, that he might not remain in himself, what did he say? “I will arise and go to my Father.”6 See, whence he had fallen away from himself, he had fallen away from his Father; he had fallen away from himself, he had gone away from himself to those things which are without. He returns to himself, and goes to his Father, where he may keep himself in all security. If then he had gone away from himself, let him also in returning to himself,from whom he had gone away, that he may “go to his Father,” deny himself. What is “deny himself”? Let him not trust in himself, let him feel that he is a man, and have respect to the words of the prophet, “Cursed is every one that putteth his hope in than.”7 Let him withdraw himself from himself, but not towards things below. Let him withdraw himself from himself, that he may cleave unto God. Whatever of good he has, let him commit to Him by whom he was made; whatever of evil he has, he has made it for himself.The evil that is in him God made not; let him destroy what himself has done, who has been thereby undone. “Let him deny himself,” He saith, “and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
3. And whither must the Lord be followed? Whither He is gone, we know; but a very few days since we celebrated the solemn memorial of it. For He has risen again, and ascended into heaven; thither must He be followed. Undoubtedly we must not despair of it, because He hath Himself promised us, not because man can do anything. Heaven was far away from us, before that our Head had gone into heaven. But now why should we despair, if we are members of that Head? Thither then must He be followed. And who would be unwilling to follow Him to such an abode? Especially seeing that we are in so great travail on earth with fears and pains. Who would be unwilling to follow Christ thither, where is supreme felicity, supreme peace, perpetual security? Good is it to follow Him thither: but we must see by what way we are to follow. For the Lord Jesus did not say the words we are engaged in, when He had now risen from the dead. He had not yet suffered, He had still to come to the Cross, had to come to His dishonouring, to the outrages, the scourging, the thorns, the wounds, the mockeries, the insults, Death. Rough as it were is the way; it makes thee to be slow; thou hast no mind to follow. But follow on. Rough is the way which man has made for himself, but what Christ hath trodden in His passage is worn smooth. For who would not wish to go to exaltation? Elevation is pleasing to all; but humility is the step to it. Why dost thou put out thy foot beyond thee? Thou hast a mind to fall, not to ascend. Begin by the step, and so thou hast ascended. This step of humility those two disciples were loth to have an eye to, who said, “Lord, bid that one of us may sit at Thy right hand, and the other at the left in Thy kingdom.”8 They sought for exaltation, they did not see the step. But the Lord showed them the step. For what did He answer them? “Ye who seek the hill of exaltation, can ye drink the cup of humiliation?” And therefore He does not say simply, “Let him deny himself, and follow Me” howsoever: but He said more, “Let him take up his cross, and follow Me.” – Read the source: https://zenit.org/articles/archbishop-follo-recognizing-christ-requires-faith-and-simplicity/

Reflection 14 – St. Cornelius (d. 253 A.D.)

There was no pope for 14 months after the martyrdom of St. Fabian because of the intensity of the persecution of the Church. During the interval, the Church was governed by a college of priests. St. Cyprian, a friend of Cornelius, writes that Cornelius was elected pope “by the judgment of God and of Christ, by the testimony of most of the clergy, by the vote of the people, with the consent of aged priests and of good men.”

The greatest problem of Cornelius’s two-year term as pope had to do with the Sacrament of Penance and centered on the readmission of Christians who had denied their faith during the time of persecution. Two extremes were finally both condemned. Cyprian, primate of North Africa, appealed to the pope to confirm his stand that the relapsed could be reconciled only by the decision of the bishop.

In Rome, however, Cornelius met with the opposite view. After his election, a priest named Novatian (one of those who had governed the Church) had himself consecrated a rival bishop of Rome—one of the first antipopes. He denied that the Church had any power to reconcile not only the apostates, but also those guilty of murder, adultery, fornication or second marriage! Cornelius had the support of most of the Church (especially of Cyprian of Africa) in condemning Novatianism, though the sect persisted for several centuries. Cornelius held a synod at Rome in 251 and ordered the “relapsed” to be restored to the Church with the usual “medicines of repentance.”

The friendship of Cornelius and Cyprian was strained for a time when one of Cyprian’s rivals made accusations about him. But the problem was cleared up.

A document from Cornelius shows the extent of organization in the Church of Rome in the mid-third century: 46 priests, seven deacons, seven subdeacons. It is estimated that the number of Christians totaled about 50,000.

Cornelius died as a result of the hardships of his exile in what is now Civitavecchia (near Rome).

Comment:

It seems fairly true to say that almost every possible false doctrine has been proposed at some time or other in the history of the Church. The third century saw the resolution of a problem we scarcely consider—the penance to be done before reconciliation with the Church after mortal sin. Men like Cornelius and Cyprian were God’s instruments in helping the Church find a prudent path between extremes of rigorism and laxity. They are part of the Church’s ever-living stream of tradition, ensuring the continuance of what was begun by Christ, and evaluating new experiences through the wisdom and experience of those who have gone before.

Read the source:  http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1140

St. Cyprian (d. 258 A.D.)

Cyprian is important in the development of Christian thought and practice in the third century, especially in northern Africa.

Highly educated, a famous orator, he became a Christian as an adult. He distributed his goods to the poor, and amazed his fellow citizens by making a vow of chastity before his baptism. Within two years he had been ordained a priest and was chosen, against his will, as Bishop of Carthage (near modern Tunis).

Cyprian complained that the peace the Church had enjoyed had weakened the spirit of many Christians and had opened the door to converts who did not have the true spirit of faith. When the Decian persecution began, many Christians easily abandoned the Church. It was their reinstatement that caused the great controversies of the third century, and helped the Church progress in its understanding of the Sacrament of Penance.

Novatus, a priest who had opposed Cyprian’s election, set himself up in Cyprian’s absence (he had fled to a hiding place from which to direct the Church—bringing criticism on himself) and received back all apostates without imposing any canonical penance. Ultimately he was condemned. Cyprian held a middle course, holding that those who had actually sacrificed to idols could receive Communion only at death, whereas those who had only bought certificates saying they had sacrificed could be admitted after a more or less lengthy period of penance. Even this was relaxed during a new persecution.

During a plague in Carthage, he urged Christians to help everyone, including their enemies and persecutors.

A friend of Pope Cornelius, Cyprian opposed the following pope, Stephen. He and the other African bishops would not recognize the validity of baptism conferred by heretics and schismatics. This was not the universal view of the Church, but Cyprian was not intimidated even by Stephen’s threat of excommunication.

He was exiled by the emperor and then recalled for trial. He refused to leave the city, insisting that his people should have the witness of his martyrdom.

Cyprian was a mixture of kindness and courage, vigor and steadiness. He was cheerful and serious, so that people did not know whether to love or respect him more. He waxed warm during the baptismal controversy; his feelings must have concerned him, for it was at this time that he wrote his treatise on patience. St. Augustine remarks that Cyprian atoned for his anger by his glorious martyrdom.

Comment:

The controversies about Baptism and Penance in the third century remind us that the early Church had no ready-made solutions from the Holy Spirit. The leaders and members of the Church of that day had to move painfully through the best series of judgments they could make in an attempt to follow the entire teaching of Christ and not be diverted by exaggerations to right or left.

Quote:

“You cannot have God for your Father if you do not have the Church for your mother…. God is one and Christ is one, and his Church is one; one is the faith, and one is the people cemented together by harmony into the strong unity of a body…. If we are the heirs of Christ, let us abide in the peace of Christ; if we are the sons of God, let us be lovers of peace” (St. Cyprian, The Unity of the Catholic Church).

Patron Saint of: North Africa

Read the source:  http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/Saint.aspx?id=1136

SAINT OF THE DAY
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors responded to God’s invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint.

Cornelius and Cyprian have shared this feast since ancient times. His successor Fabian having perished in the brutal Dioclesian persecution, Cornelius was elected bishop of Rome in 251 A.D. with the almost certain knowledge that he would die a martyr’s death. In 252 A.D., the plague entered Rome, and the Romans blamed the disease and resulting pestilence on the Christians. As punishment, Cornelius was exiled to Civitavecchia. Letters of support and appreciation came to him from Cyprian who had been elected bishop of Carthage in North Africa in 248 A.D., Cyprian supported Cornelius, consistently urging the unity of the Church in his many pastoral letters. “No one can have God as his Father who does not have the Church as his Mother,” he wrote. Cornelius was martyred in 253 A.D. Cyprian was martyred in Carthage in 258 A.D. Their prayers are still invoked in the canon of the Mass.