Based upon numerous studies by
sociologists and psychologists throughout the years, their results have told us
for the most part that our perceptions about life are based on expectations we
encounter whether based on what we are told, see, hear, experience or believe. And, from that conclusion, many people decide
what reality is in their lives.
The Prophet Jeremiah in our first
reading from his book today begins with this complaint to God: “You
duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped; You were too strong for me, and
You triumphed.” Father Richard
Rohr, OFM, writes in “Naked, and You
Clothed Me: Homilies & Reflections for Cycle A” that biblical scholars
told him this text was softened from its original language used; so distraught
was Jeremiah. And yet, Jeremiah writes
in this same reading: “But then it becomes like fire burning in my
heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.” He realizes he must yield to the
greater good of speaking God’s truth or he will lose the inner struggle he has
between obeying the will of God in spiritual ways to Satan’s evil worldly ways.
In St. Paul’s letter to the Romans,
he writes: “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good
and pleasing and perfect.” His
reasoning refutes Jeremiah’s first quote above in that the prophet blames God
for the daily derision and reproach he receives because of the message God
wants him to deliver. Somewhere along
the way, Jeremiah seems to have forgotten that his “yes” to God is a plea for
transformation to the will of God in totality. The prophet’s second quote agrees with St.
Paul only because his heart is burning to share God’s world with everyone; as
all faithful Christians are supposed be doing in their Baptism promise to love
God with all their hearts, mind, strength and soul.
It is, of course, Jesus in St.
Matthew’s Gospel that brings to a head what conversion we must embrace to make
sure we indeed are true disciples of His when He says to the Apostles: “Whoever
wishes to come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow
Me.” That is the decision each
of us is asked to make if we truly want a meaningful existence on earth that
God intends for us and to receive salvation for ourselves, those we love and who
we touch in our lives.
Discipleship is not about achieving
success, greatness or status. Jesus is
asking each one of us to dedicate our lives in totally loving and serving
others even if, at times, this involves misunderstanding, ridicule, pain and
even death itself. We need to let go to
find ourselves.
Pope Francis writes in The
Joy of the Gospel: “Jesus wants
us to touch human misery, to touch the suffering flesh of others. He hopes that we will…enter into the reality
of other people’s lives and know the power of tenderness.” That’s how we deny ourselves, take up our
cross and follow Jesus as His disciple. We
allow God into our hearts to give us the strength to face that which frightens
us so we can give the best of what God offers in love and peace.
Let us take this week to search
deep within our soul for stumbling blocks that cause us to resist God’s call to
the full realization of discipleship so we can accept God’s love for us and be
obedient to His will. Like Jeremiah,
following God can come with difficult inner struggles, but the fire of God’s
love burns deep inside us and we cannot and must not quench that which brings about
the truth of our faith and trust in God for us and all we touch.
Reading 1: Jeremiah 20:7-9
Reading 2: Romans 12:1-2
Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27
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