Take up your cross and follow me.

Take up your cross & follow Me. 

"Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.

"Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”

"He [Jesus] turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “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 will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct.” (Matthew 16: 21 - 27).

Sunday September 3rd 2023 in the 22nd Week of Ordinary Time. 

Jesus' first prediction of His passion, death and resurrection marks a turning point in His ministry. The disciples did not understand His prediction. Perhaps they did not even want to hear Him speak of bad news at all, certainly not suffering and death.

“God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” Peter remonstrated with Jesus.

What is your opinion about the Crucifixion? Suffering in your life? Suffering in the world?

The Cross is God's will and path for our salvation. No Cross, No Crown.

“Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 24: 25 - 26).

This is the Full Truth of the Gospel. No More, No Less. 

So we are foolish to imagine that there could be salvation without suffering. Suffering is a divine necessity. Look around you and see the truth in nature. A seed must die in the ground before it sprouts to bring new life. A woman at childbirth wonders whether her end has come. But soon, she is smiling with the child in her arms.

One of the most powerful truths I learned from the Gospels is this: "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8: 32).

The reverse of this is equally astonishing. You are imprisoned by the falsehood you believe. The Devil is the Father of lies. He sows falsehood and lies everywhere. That is why Jesus rebuked Peter sharply on this occasion.

“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” (Matthew 16: 23).

How do we protect ourselves from the deadly lies of the Devil? The answer is in the 2nd Reading today:

"Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12: 2).

#1 Read and meditate on the word of God every day.

#2 Pray every day.

"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later." (Romans 8: 18).

How did the Blessed Virgin Mary comprehend the necessity of the Cross and embrace this mystery fully in her life? In September, the Church honors the Sorrowful Heart of Mary. May the Blessed Virgin Mary obtain for us the grace to embrace all the crosses in our lives. 

For Prayers of Consecration to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, Litany, Promises of Mary to those who say the Holy Rosary, etc click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/06/immaculate-heart-of-mary-consecration.html?m=10

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com