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Christ, Christians, and the Cross

Homily of the Day
September 28th, 2012
Food For Thought

Friday, September 28, 2012 by Food for Thought

FirstReading: Eccl 3:1-11
Psalm: Ps 114:1b An 2abc, 3-4
Gospel: Lk 9:18-22

Jesus told his disciples that the Messiah must suffer and die in order that God’s work of redemption might be accomplished. How scandalized the disciples were when they heard this.

We are no different from the apostles. How many of us complain and feel shocked when we see fervent Christian friends and relatives undergoing moral suffering, sickness and failure in business? We say, they don’t deserve it. How can God do this? How different really are God’s thoughts and ways from our thoughts and ways?

Through humiliation, suffering, and death on the cross Jesus broke the powers of sin and death and won for us eternal life and true freedom. Every Christian must follow the same road which Jesus traveled. No slave is greater than his master. If we want to share in Christ’s victory, then we must also take up our cross and follow him where he leads us.

What is the “cross” that you and I must take up each day? How do we follow Jesus when the road is dark and sailing is rough? It is in these trying moments that Jesus reveals his love and solicitude for
us. Who do you say he is? Is he your Companion? Friend? Savior? Anchor? Light?

One Bread, One Body

<< Friday, September 28, 2012 >>

St. Wenceslaus
St. Lawrence Ruiz
& Companions

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
View Readings

Psalm 144:1-4

Luke 9:18-22

GETTIN' IT ALL TOGETHER

"He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts." —Ecclesiastes 3:11

In the old covenant, we could be born and only later die (Eccl 3:2). However, in the new covenant, when we believe in Jesus, we die to self (Jn 12:24) and are born again at the same time (see Jn 3:3, 5). Moreover, in Jesus, seeking and losing are not necessarily opposites (see Eccl 3:6). Only when we lose our lives (Lk 9:24) can we seek first God's kingdom (Mt 6:33). Also, love and hate are not always opposites (Eccl 3:8). We hate sin because we love sinners and especially because we love God. Finally, because Jesus is our Peace (Eph 2:14), we have a peace beyond understanding (Phil 4:7). Our peace is not incompatible with war (Eccl 3:8). Rather, we have peace in the midst of a spiritual war (Eph 6:12; Rv 19:14ff).

Because of sin, creation and our human nature are fallen. Our hearts are restless. We struggle with inner conflicts (Jas 4:1). In the old covenant, "all the works of the Most High...come in pairs, the one the opposite of the other" (Sir 33:15). In the new covenant, Jesus has destroyed "the devil's works" (1 Jn 3:8) and has reconciled "everything in His Person, both on earth and in the heavens" (Col 1:20). "All this has been done by God, Who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor 5:18).

Prayer: Jesus, I give my life to You.

Promise: The Son of Man "must first endure many sufferings, be rejected by the elders, the high priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and then be raised up on the third day." —Lk 9:22

Praise: St. Lawrence told his executioners: "I am a Christian. I shall die for God, and for Him I would give many thousands of lives, so do with me what you please."