TAKE UP YOUR CROSS

Matthew 16: 24-28

In today’s gospel Jesus spells out the cost of discipleship. It is good to note that Jesus, wanting to stress a more radical response to his invitation, expresses this point in a very strong way: “If anyone wants to follow me, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me”. It is a warning for us today that we have to be fully aware of what we are actually following or doing, as Christians and to do it freely in a way that nothing can hinder us.

We are living in the society where pain or suffering is considered as the downside of life and so it has to be avoided or as much as possible less felt. The advances in the field of technology and medicine show how much time, resources and human intelligence are put together to respond to this human desire to avoid any pain. Medicine offers us fast relief from body pains. Laws are made in such a way that nobody should or would never experience pain. What is the message of Christ for us today when he says “If anyone wants to follow him, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow”; and that whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Christ’s sake will find it?

I think, denying the reality of pain and suffering in our Christian life might have a negative repercussion in our society today. Look at the growing of infidelity in our society, the inability for lifelong commitment, and the horrific data of abuses in the society. All of these can be traced to modern people’s incapacity to bear pain and to suffer for somebody, for something or for higher values such as freedom, justice, peace, equality and other noble values.

Our Lord Jesus Christ came to oppose sufferings and sin in all forms. This can be seen in all his miracles. But yet he gave himself up to suffering even including death on the cross and he invites us today to take up our crosses as to tell us that for Christians suffering or pain is necessary. The gospel today challenges us to embrace the cross as a redemptive way in our life. The reality of pain in Christian life leads us to be patient in suffering and be compassionate with those who are suffering. May the Lord help us to be able to face our life with the eyes of faith and to be able to sacrifice ourselves out of love the sake of our brothers and sisters who are suffering.