22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ready to follow him?

Matthew 16:21-27

Photo courtesy of catholic.org

Can we actually say "no" to the Lord?

We may, but actually we can't.  Can we claim that our plans are better than God's plans?  Can we claim that we have connected heaven and earth when we follow our own plans or or just made the gap between them wider by our rejection to be available to God?

The readings for today simply says that there is a power greater than ourselves. This is Jeremiah's experience. God's ways are far greater than our ways.  And we cannot but follow him.

What does it mean to follow him?

First, the reason why we don't follow him is because we haven't understood him or his logic.  Carrying the cross doesn't make sense unless we enter in to the mystery of Christ's love for us.

If Christ he hadn't carried that cross because he wanted to be comfortable, we wouldn't be in this situation of comfort today. What Jesus did was to take up our wounded nature to be with us till death so that he may raise us up to life.  Remember that we are living in grace and blessings simply because Jesus suffered to save us.

Secondly, we still say "no" to following Jesus despite the first point, but be warned of Jesus' words, "He who saves his life will lose it."  Admit it, but the more we save ourselves, the less time we have for others.  Isn't this is what is happening when we find more and more people think about themselves and fewer people volunteer to serve God and His Church?

Finally, we may follow him if after a long struggle with ourselves, we are fully convinced that even if we gain the whole world, we suffer the loss of our lives and when God finally comes, he shall reward us according our behaviors.

Ask: Are our lives reflections of what God wants?  Let's make a tough but worthy choice to follow him and be his disciples.