24th Ordinary Sunday                                                                                            Mark 8:27-35

Picture yourself in the gospel, we are his disciples and we are standing with the apostles and suddenly Jesus looks you square in the eyes as he is looking at all of his followers and asks you, “Who do you say that I am?” you hesitate and suddenly Peter says, “You are the Christ.” What does that mean? Christ is a Greek word signifying “anointed” and it translates the Hebrew word Messiah. The Hebrew texts tell us their king was anointed with holy oil, it is the title given to the one who will ultimately restore Israel. Jesus presented himself as the expected Messiah; though he never used the title. 

Christ, is not Jesus’ last name. It is a significant title, a word that stands alone. But He is not a Messiah as the Jewish people of that time believe.  They think the Messiah is a king who will build an army, a political leader that would free Israel from Roman oppression and become a great king of Israel. As the perfect King, Priest, and Prophet, Jesus the God-Man is the Messiah. By reason of the Incarnation. He has received in his humanity the fullness of power, sweetness and joy symbolized by the oil of consecration in the ancient rites.

Consider the apostle’s elation when Jesus admits He is the Messiah. But then think of their confusion when he tells them that the chief priests and the scribes will put Him to death, and He will rise again. For the apostles this prophecy of Jesus is difficult to understand, nothing makes sense after what he has just confirmed. No one rises from the dead, because for a Jew there is no concept of an afterlife. Even though they had witnessed the Master seemingly raise some people from the dead, they only understood this as a physical resuscitation due to his powers of healing.

The mention of his resurrection after three days, fell on deaf ears, because the idea of a resurrection of that kind was incomprehensible to them. We know how slow they were to accept his resurrection even after it happened. He had told them at least three times this would happen. It did not really prepare them because they were still too worldly-minded. However, it did transform their faith once it happened. It was then they realized that their beloved Master was much more than the Messiah, he convinces them that he is, by virtue of his Resurrection, the Savior, the Son of God.  

In today’s culture everything is all about “ME.”  All of the advertising of our age tells us, that whatever the cost “We are worth it.” The Good News, which is Jesus’ message, is counter cultural, because he tells us that the most important thing in life is “humility” — losing self, abandoning ego, subordinating “me” in order to love the other: love, which brings the reward of eternal life with Christ. He says, “If any one would come after me, let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.” Life is not intended to be easy but a journey to gain heaven through love of Christ and neighbor.

Jesus wants us to believe in him, by imitating him. “He emptied himself and took the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”(Phil 2:7) As Jesus offered himself to the Father we offer ourselves to the Father through Jesus by imitating his works. He asks us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick and imprisoned, and bury the dead. We are also called to instruct the ignorant, correct sinners, advise the doubtful, show patience to sinners, forgive others, comfort the afflicted, and pray for the world.

We all remember Jesus words when he explains the last judgement. He will turn to those on his left and say, I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was naked and you did not clothe me — “depart from me into eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Mt 25:41)

We must be ready to follow Jesus on the road to calvary, this does not call for our physical martyrdom in this country although it may come to that if persecution of our Church continues to intensify. It is happening in other places of the world. We must take up our cross and follow him. This does not mean that we must search for crosses — there are plenty of them in any good Christian’s life — but we must gladly accept the crosses life brings us and see in them God’s means of keeping us close to Him. Life on earth is very short, eternal life is endless. No thinking person, and certainly no true Christian, would risk losing eternal life for the sake of a few meager gains in power or recognition here on this earth.