Prayer Warriors@ St Mary Help Of Christians Church, Aiken, South Carolina at 118 York Street SE, Aiken, SC 29801-4568 US - The Way of Discipleship

Today's gospel gives us a crucial insight into the mind and ways of God.  We learn that God's idea of attaining glory is very different from ours.  "The Son of Man must suffer GREATLY, and be rejected, and be killed, and rise after three days."  It's not surprising that the message did not compute with the disciples.  It wasn't anything like their idea of God.

The disciples hear the words "suffer greatly," "rejected," and "killed," and for some reason they are too preoccupied to hear "and rise after three days."  They miss the divine essence of the message which is . . . "No, the suffering and rejection will reveal that God's love is a self-sacrificing love, and that is the way that God will conquer the world!"  Can you blame the apostles for missing that part of the message?

Think about it.  What if your spouse called and said, "Honey, there was a huge storm, lightning struck one of our trees, and it fell on the garage, and insurance will take care of things?"  What is your focus on after hearing this?  It is probably not on "and insurance will take care of it."  So don't be surprised that the disciples missed "and rise after three days." 

But there's a huge difference.  "Storm, lightning, and fallen trees" are one-time events and not a way of life.  What Jesus is trying to tell His disciples is that suffering, rejection, and dying to self are the ways we follow Him.  "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."  The disciples were not excited.

Today's gospel says that "Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him."  Jesus doesn't say, "Well, there is another possibility."  No, he says "Get behind me Satan!  You are thinking not as God does but as human beings do."  In the mind of God, laying down your life for the sake of another is not a one-time event, but a way of life. 

The Cross is THE WAY of discipleship.  I love how Thomas a Kempis says it in his book The Imitation of Christ.  "If there had been anything better and of more use to man's salvation than suffering, Christ most certainly would have taught it to us in his work and through his example.  But instead he proclaims: 'If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.'" (Book 2, Ch. 12.15)

The Cross will make you holy.  The Cross will make you more like God.  I promise.  How can I be so sure?  Because the word "sacrifice" in Latin literally means "to make holy."  Sacra, which means holy, and facer -- to make.  Sacrifice means "to make holy."

The good news is that you never have to go looking for the Cross.  It will find you.  It's always there offering you the opportunity to imitate Jesus and see the world through the eyes of God.  Have you experienced any of these?

·       You don't get a promotion at work that you think you deserve

·       There are budget cuts at work and you get laid off

·       Somebody scratches your new car in the parking lot

·       The new baby won't let you sleep at night.

·       Your two-year-old is acting like . . . well, a two-year old.  And so is your 12 year old.

·       Your child is receiving poor reports at school

·       People around the neighborhood are spreading gossip about you

·       The doctor tells you that you need surgery

·       Your children don't appreciate the meals you prepare, the miles you drive taking them to activities, or the things you do to maintain your home.

You might think "I know what to do.  I'll go on vacation, relax, and have a few days without the Cross."  Good luck!  No sooner do you get to the airport that you find out your flight is delayed.  You get to your destination and your luggage doesn't.  You are stuck in heavy traffic and can't find the hotel.  The cross is always there for us.  In 16 years of raising children, we have gone to the emergency room for stitches four times -- two of those times while on vacation. 

Yet, when my flight gets canceled or my daughter cuts her head open, believe it or not, sometimes my first thought is not, "Oh . . . this is good, because if there had been anything better and of more use to man's salvation than suffering, Christ most certainly would have taught it."  No, sometimes I think, "God, this is not fair; this is not right."  Maybe it is . . . maybe it isn't. 

Jesus could have said the same thing:  "Father, look at what they are doing to me.  It's not fair; it's not right; what did I do to deserve this?"  But, rather, Jesus says "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; still, not my will but your will be done."  How well will you carry the cross when your time comes?  Will Jesus have to say to you," You are thinking not as God does, but as man does."

Some of you men are being called to carry the Cross in a special way.  Eleven years ago I began training for the diaconate and was ordained seven years ago.  Three of us from St. Mary's started the training, one dropped out because of health issues, and the other has since moved away.  Thankfully, at our last deacon meeting, the bishop announced that the diocese would begin taking applications for a new class.  This is good news for our diocese, and it can be good news for our parish, if some of you are open to God's call, if some of you choose to think as God does and not as man does.

But, whether its the diaconate or just everyday living, how is it possible for us to take this journey that is so repulsive to our human nature?  With man, it is impossible.  But with God, all things are possible.  With God, we can believe the words of Isaiah in our first reading, "The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame."  God's ways can be trusted.  God's ways are certain.  That is why the Cross is our assurance of victory.

As Thomas a Kempis writes elsewhere:  "In the cross there is salvation; in the cross there is life; in the cross there is protection from your enemies; in the cross there is infusion of heavenly sweetness; in the cross there is strength of mind; in the cross there is spiritual joy; in the cross there is the source of all virtue; in the cross there is the perfection of holiness."  (II,12.2)

So . . . this is our glimpse into the mind of God:  If there had been anything better and of more use to man's salvation than the Cross, Christ most certainly would have taught it to us.  It's true, but do we insist on seeing the world as man does, or are we willing to embrace God's vision for us?  As it says in the words of the Prophet Hosea:  "Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them.  Straight are the paths of the Lord, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them."  (Hos 14:10) 

Only God's way leads to victory.  Only God's way leads to everlasting life.   May God give you the grace and courage to choose His ways and His thoughts.