-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 9:30am and 12:30pm on Sunday
Who I am is who you Are, hopefully!
Jesus' conversation with his disciples about his identity and the path to discipleship in this Sunday's gospel reveals something "secret" about not only who Jesus is but who we are called to be in him and like him.
Usually in our democratic system, people elect or support a candidate for leader who is LIKE them and because that leader is promising to DO something for the followers. Jesus, as messiah, is revealed in The Gospel today as one who is very unlike his followers and promises that by us making him our leader ( becoming his followers) we will become like him as different as he is.
Even more complicating, the way that Jesus is going to be Messiah and leader for us is by suffering and death on the cross. So it is revealed that the only way for us to be authentic followers of him is to take on a cruciform shape of daily life We are not necessarily called to be crucified LIKE with ( on the wood of the cross of Calvary) but by our embrace of this cruciform approach to life, dying for the sake of others.
Would you vote for that?
1 comment:
I think that what makes it possible for me/us to even consider voting for a cruciform way of life is to remember the old adage - "begin with the end in mind". I say that because it is hard to believe that it's the wise thing - or even the right thing - to follow someone who speaks only of suffering and death. But to follow someone who suffers and dies for the point of love is quite another matter.
It is most inspiring to me that Jesus never repays violence with violence. When he is clearly hated, he doesn't hate back. Instead, he either actively loves in return - or absorbs the evil (without it absorbing him) so that it doesn't go any further. The result of those responses - loving and taking the evil out of the equation - results in more love. That end result is what makes the suffering "worth it".
In considering the varied and horrific events in Orlando last week, I can see the possibilities play themselves out. If anger and fear drive our response to any of those events, more anger and fear will develop. Sin and brokenness will win the day. But if we dare absorb the sadness and bitterness, and rather than seek revenge, seek to respond in a loving and life-giving way, we will more readily see the power of God's hand at work in all things and healing will be promoted.
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