June 20, 2010 12th Ordinary Sunday Zech. 12:10-11, 13:1; Gal. 3:26-29; Lk. 9:18-24 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Readings: http://www.usccb.org/nab/062010.shtml    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________     Jesus' enquiry seeks to draw out the disciples' understanding of his person. The crowds have their opinions, but what do the disciples believe? Peter states that Jesus is the messiah; the Son of Man is the Christ. The only problem is that their understanding of Jesus' messiahship is very limited. They see him as the Davidic king, the son of David, who has come to set up his kingdom in power, overcoming the Romans and purifying Israel. They have yet to understand that Jesus must represent the people of Israel, and travel the way of judgement, suffering and death (He is the suffering servant of Israel, Isaiah 53). The suffering servant must go the way of suffering on behalf of God's rebellious people.   Jesus calls on his disciples to follow him. Jesus calls on us to take up the cross, in the sense of give allegiance to him and his journey of shame. We are to do this "daily", that is, identify with Christ's journey throughout the whole of our life. It certainly encourages sacrificial discipleship, self-denial, but above all it is a call to identification with Christ, a call to allegiance. Only Christ's self-denial has any eternal value, ours is flawed, compromised, "filthy rags."   Take up your cross: Many people interpret “cross” as some burden they must carry in their lives: a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness. With self-pitying pride, they say, “That’s my cross I have to carry.” There is an important distinction between bearing burdens and taking up your “cross”. Burdens are carried by everyone; we don’t choose them – they come on their own. Yet Jesus never says we should “bear” our cross – never! He says we should take up our cross. Take up. It is a willed decision on our part. Our crosses don’t come upon us, as burdens do; we willingly choose to take them up. In Jesus’ day, NOBODY willingly took up his cross. You only took up your cross if you were forced to do so. For to take up your cross meant you were being driven to your own crucifixion, your own death.   Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ. Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple (Luke 14:27). The reward is worth the price. Jesus followed His call of death to self (“Take up your cross and follow Me”) with the gift of life in Christ: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25-26).     <<   Previous: 11th Ordinary Sunday  | Next: 13th Ordinary Sunday >>   Go Back to SERMONS (Year C)