TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

This year, the end of summer comes at a time when we face a number of challenging problems:

• We don’t have a cure for cancer or many other diseases.
• We don’t have a working plan to deal with the evil of terrorism or gun violence.
• We don’t have a peaceful solution for war-torn countries.
• We don’t have the means to dismantle cultural racism.
• We struggle with the issue of immigration.
• We are polarized by how to deal with joblessness, the cost of living and growing income inequality.

Our response to the news of our broken world is like Peter’s response in today’s gospel: “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” We don’t want to suffer. We just want Jesus to fix it.

Peter not only resists the idea that Jesus will suffer, but he also resists the fact that he and the other disciples will suffer for choosing to follow Jesus. It is as if Peter is saying, “I’ll follow you, but don’t speak about the cross.”

Our gospel this week is from the same chapter as last week’s gospel. Last week, Jesus called Peter “Blessed.” This week Jesus called Peter something just the opposite. What was that? “Satan.”

Talk about falling off your high horse! Peter goes from hero to villain in a matter of seconds!

What Peter did was just like hitting a winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, but then not tagging third base when running the bases and thus ending up being called “out.” The cheering turns into booing. It was like the old ABC’s Sports World “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” all at one time.

The words of Jesus in the gospel seem a bit harsh to me! For two reasons:

• Peter, like a loyal friend, logically does not want Jesus to suffer.
• This is the first time that Christ reveals to the disciples that the Messiah must suffer.

Peter had to feel a bit overwhelmed. Jesus was trying to impress upon Peter that to be His follower, he would have to suffer, be betrayed and yes, even fail at times.

Following Jesus doesn’t mean we will have it easy. Christ wanted Peter to understand and experience that following Christ means denying yourself.

I remember the time I visited the Washington Monument and our tour guide said that there would be a two-hour wait to ride the elevator to the top. He then added quickly, “But there is no waiting to go to the top if you are willing to take the stairs.”

Successful people who want to get to the top know they must deny themselves and work hard, often taking the tougher path.

Success in life, whether economic, political or spiritual, is the willingness to resist the lure of the easy way.

• Want a healthy body? Deny yourself junk food and discipline yourself with exercise.
• Want a healthy mind? Deny yourself TV and read a book instead.
• Want a healthy family? Deny yourself from spending time on things you like and instead spend quality time with your spouse and children.

A cynic once said, “When the going gets tough, everyone leaves.” 

One of the problems with following Christ is that we have to do it every day. We can’t live off yesterday’s prayers and good deeds. We have to do them again and again, every day. 

After all, Christ didn’t say, “Take up your cross and follow me to church only on Sundays.” Cross bearing is a day-to-day activity, just like working to stay healthy.

Sacrifice isn’t a word we hear very often, but that is what is expected of each of us. Come to think of it, there is only one sport where that term is actually used. 

Harry Cary would say it this way: “There is a long fly to left field.  Easy out!  The man on third tags up and trots home. A sacrifice fly!”

Denying ourselves and sacrificing ourselves for another is how we carry our cross. It is central to our faith.

Marketing experts are always quick to tell a startup business how important it is to develop a corporate logo, a vision and a mission. They call it “brand identity,” pointing out that a logo and a consistent message produce familiarity.

Customers learn to identify with the overall philosophy of an organization, or not.

As Christians and intentional disciples, we are encouraged to see the cross as our Christian logo. It is a sacred sign of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice to lead us to our eternal home.  As the last sentence in today’s gospel says, “For the Son of Man will come with His angels in His father’s glory, and then He will repay all according to his conduct.”

When Winston Churchill was asked, “What most prepared you to lead England through WW II?” He responded, “It was the time I had to repeat a class in grade school.” The interviewer then asked: “You mean you flunked a grade?” Churchill’s response was, “I never flunked in my life.  I was given a second opportunity to get it right.”

That is the way to handle a setback. Look at it as a second chance to get it right.