HOMILY FOR THE 24TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B
Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi
St. Patrick, the Patron saint of Ireland told the story of the greatest convert he made in his missionary activities in Ireland. A pagan chieftain eventually accepted to become a Christian and be baptised. During the baptismal ceremony, the man was seen losing his breath. All of a sudden, all could see him turn from white to yellow and to red. At the end, he fainted and collapsed on the floor. Only then did the people notice that all through the ceremony, the crozier of the Bishop was resting on his left foot and was piercing through it. When the man was eventually revived, he was asked why he did not complain when he noticed the discomfort that nearly cost him his life. He replied: Sir, I thought it was part of the ritual. And he is right to the point. The Christian life involves pains and sacrifices that may not be totally comprehensible. The cross of Christ is part and parcel of the Christian identity and lifestyle.
In the Gospel (Mark 8:27-34), we are marvelled at the boldness and confidence with which Jesus corrected the mentality of his disciples, as it were, of saving the world without dying on the cross. Having led his disciples to the discovery of the identity of the Christ, what is then left is to make them understand the way of that Christ. The man Jesus who loved to speak in parables had to depart from his regular parabolic style. His being so direct is to make sure that there could be no possibility of misunderstanding him. If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
In this sentence are three conditions of coming after Jesus (οπισω μου ελθιεν): 1. Self-denial (απαρνησασθω): This is not just a denial of oneself from pleasure, but a disowning of oneself, in such manner that the person believes and lives it out that God is his owner and not himself. 2. Taking up the cross (άρατω τον σταυρον αυτου): The cross here is strictly the transverse beam (not plank) placed at the top of the vertical part. Each criminal carried his own cross and moved towards crucifixion. So, everyone is expected to carry his own cross, not the cross of another 3. Followership (άκολουθειτω): This is not simply to follow from behind, the preposition used in Mark 1:17 and 8:34 (οπίσω) denoting to come after. This means to accompany side by side, an accompaniment in which the persons interact verbally with one other (άκολουθειτω, having the same root as άκουω, I listen). Hence, the bearer of the cross must walk side by side with Jesus conversing with Him as a friend. It is in that conversation that he can find energy and courage to continue. With Jesus, our crosses become much lighter. Surely, everyone has got a cross to carry, but the question remains: are we walking with Jesus?
Jesus placed much emphasis on this. This emphasis is much more evident when we render these three implications in Greek: απαρνησασθω εαντον, και άρατω τον σταυρον αυτου, και άκολουθειτω μοι: let him deny himself, and let him take up his cross, and let him follow me. In our study of the figures of speech, this is what is called an anaphora; that is the usage of a specific word or clause at the beginning of each sentence to demonstrate serious concern, to evoke sentiments and to lay emphasis on the concern. However, apart from the fact that the statement was of great concern to Jesus, the emphasis is focused on the person who is carrying the cross. It is not the cross that carries us. We carry the cross. Jesus is interested in the person bearing the cross, no matter what the cross may be. Thus, we reciprocate by being interested in Jesus, and not merely the crosses that we carry. Trusting in Jesus truly helps. The First Reading from the oracle of Isaiah (Isaiah 50:4c-9a) tells us: the Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced.
The identity of the Christian is the identity of the cross. Following and knowing Christ entails passing through the cross of suffering; and sticking out our necks to be tortured for the sake of Christ. That is the demand of discipleship. Christianity without the cross is mundanity. If there is no cross, there will not be any crown. Christ suffered and then entered into the glory of the Father. We must be encouraged by the words of Romans 8:17: provided that we suffer with Him, we may also be glorified with Him. A cross-less Christianity is a Christ-less Christianity. In the cross of Christ is salvation (In crucis Christi salus es).
The cross of Christ is CENTRAL to the Christian faith. The Christian ought to maintain this centrality of the cross in his/her life, and should never decide to leave Jesus during the hard times. If the Christian fails to do this, then he/she will grow tired, weak and depressed have no future. But if he/she does this conscientiously, then he/she can survive and be strengthened by God.
The cross of Christ is REDEMPTIVE. Through the cross God showed His omnipotence. The Christian must put his whole trust in God, and not in any other thing or even in oneself, knowing that only God redeems and ransoms. If the Christian fails to do this, then there is bound to be failure, but if he/she adheres to this,then can he/she redeem and change the world.
In the cross of Christ is a radical OBEDIENCE. The Christian must turn away from worldly message and desires and must not shy away from the world in a purported spirit of asceticism, but must live in the everyday world, and be inspired by the radical obedience of love towards God’s will. If we tend to forget to whom our obedience is due, we end up enslaving and enchaining ourselves. But if we do everything in total obedience to God, then can we become free; free in imitating the service of Christ, the service of God by which you can truly serve others.
In the cross of Christ is SERVICE. The Christian ought not to present himself as an earthly king or governor; knowing well that the kingdom of Jesus the Christ is not of this world (cf. Luke 18:36). Our role must be a spiritual diakonia; that is, service. If we fail to do this, then we may loose our dignity and rank and the very justification of our existence. But if we do this without pump and majesty, we will find in our service our true greatness, which is in the cross of Christ, for only in losing your life can you regain it.
The cross of Christ is SAVING. It is a saving event for sinners. The Christian message is the message of salvation, the joyful good news, and the message of peace. Remembering the very words of Christ that it is the sick that needs the doctor (cf. Matt. 9:12-13), we must be ever ready to be there for the sinners and the godless men, and hence must forgive, heal and save. If we fail to recognise that we too are sinful and exists, then we find ourselves growing hard-hearted, self-righteous and without compassion, deserving neither the mercy of God nor the confidence of men. But if we recognize and do this, then can we have the grace of holiness and righteousness. Yes, the CROSS.
Yes, one can imagine how hard these teachings are. And so, co-relatively, we can imagine the feeling the disciples had after that message of the cross from Jesus. The feeling of disappointment might have been shown on their faces. Their zeal for fellowship may have been punctured. However, the resurrection faith was there afterwards to sustain them. This is the same disappointment we encounter today when we suffer from pressures around us. We tend to ask why God is so far from us. We become prisoners of our thoughts, and tend to alienate ourselves from others, thereby quarantining ourselves as if we are banned from associations. Those ones are not the necessary crosses meant for us. Ours is the cross of faith; that faith that works as St. James puts it (James 2:14-18) in the Second Reading. That is the necessary cross to bear. It is time to get up (even when we know the cross is still there) with the firm hope that those troubling issues make us stronger. Drop those unnecessary crosses of worries, and pick up once more the necessary cross of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember, the cross of the Christian is the crucifix. The cross makes no meaning if it has no image of the Christ. The cross was the symbol of death, criminality, shame, disgrace, and infidelity but with the death of Christ on it, it became the symbol of life, sainthood, fame grace and faith. The cross then is meaningless without the person -Christ- who made it meaningful. May our strength not fail us. Amen. God bless you and Happy New week.
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