"You are the Christ"

09-12-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

The Gospel last Sunday shows us the compassionate and personal love of God for us. This generous gift of divine love demands a wholehearted response from us. Accepting God, loving Him means embracing the mission entrusted to us, even if it means a sacrifice. Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, follow me. It means going beyond our comfort zone, denying ourselves, and carrying our cross. Love of neighbor means walking our talk, making sacrifices, especially for those in need.

You are the Christ; by not denying this statement of Peter, Jesus implicitly revealed Himself as the awaited Messiah. Peter made a courageous confession of faith, revealing the true identity of Jesus. What follows after this revelation confused the disciples. Because Jesus uses this statement to present to them His mission: He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly from the hands of the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. To anyone who knows the prophecies of Isaiah, in the first reading, Jesus identifies Himself as the suffering servant in Isaiah. But He is much greater than Isaiah, demanding loyalty from His disciples to follow Him by taking up their cross.

Jesus reminds us again in this Gospel that discipleship is not all bed of roses, but about sacrificing and denying ourselves. The cross is part of Christianity, it is our sign, and all the baptized - sealed with it. Being a disciple is to follow the Lord in a personal relationship with Him. Embracing our crosses that lead to salvation. 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. A real personal relationship with Jesus entails going deep in this relationship, unconditional loyalty, and total commitment to life. Love without a measure of God and neighbor, conscientious commitment to service, patience, and the willingness to make sacrifices.

In times of pandemic: many have experienced the cross: loss of livelihood, loss of loved ones to Covid, and its many effects. In many countries, the cross is even bigger and heavier: the lack of vaccines, insufficient government support, and in some cases, the slow and lousy response to the many CoVid 19 variances. What makes the cross bearable is the presence of the Lord Jesus on the cross. When we carry our crosses without complaint and condition, we experience His presence, His power, and His love. And when we act upon our faiths beliefs, despite the crosses, this is proof of our faith in Jesus Christ. More than any other time, this world needs intentional disciples who have enough trust, courage, and love to put into action, than just mere words.

Who is Jesus for us? In what way does our image of Jesus affect our interior life and our spiritual growth?