Take Up Your Cross

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/090317.cfm) reminds me that I should take up my cross and follow Jesus. 

There are a lot of organizations in school that students can choose from. These organizations recruit members and organize activities for them. However, not all those who sign up and register as members become active and participate. Some would just sign up for the sake of signing up but not become involved with the org. Technically, they can declare that they are members of the org, even if they are not involved. This works in the world, but not with God. 

Real followers of God are very involved. They experience pain for Him. 

In the gospel, Jesus said that whoever wants to follow God must deny himself and take up his cross. Hindi lang basta basta sumunod sa Diyos. Merely Saying that you are a follower of God is not enough. We should be ready to walk the talk. We should be ready to suffer for God. Not because cause he wants us to suffer or he enjoys seeing us in pain, but because we should be ready to experience what he experienced in this world. Taking up our cross. Bearing our share of pain and suffering for Christ. He suffered in this world because he was not of this world. As his followers, we should be ready to experience this as well. 

We should also learn how to deny ourselves. Denying ourselves of what we want. Denying ourselves of what is easy and enjoyable. Denying ourselves of our own desires, of our own will...and submitting to God. Submitting to God our dreams. Our desires. Our plans. Denying ourselves, humbling ourselves, and proclaiming that God, his will, his plans, are high in our life. This is what we see in the second reading, that we should not conform in this world, but be transformed for God. 

May we take time to reflect what it means for us to follow God, and may we be ready and willing to do what it takes. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I am not willing to suffer for you. Sorry for the times I am not willing to deny myself for you. Help me humble myself. Help me always be ready and willing to deny myself and carry my cross as I follow you. Change me and make me more like you, Lord. As I do so use me to bring glory to you. Amen. 

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

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September 3, 2017
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 124

Reading 1JER 20:7-9

You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped;
you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.
All the day I am an object of laughter;
everyone mocks me.

Whenever I speak, I must cry out,
violence and outrage is my message;
the word of the LORD has brought me
derision and reproach all the day.

I say to myself, I will not mention him,
I will speak in his name no more.
But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart,
imprisoned in my bones;
I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.

Responsorial PsalmPS 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
for your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you. 
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Reading 2ROM 12:1-2

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. 
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.

AlleluiaCF. EPH 1:17-18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to our call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMT 16:21-27

Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised. 
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
"God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." 
He turned and said to Peter,
"Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. 
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

Then Jesus said to his disciples,
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me. 
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life? 
Or what can one give in exchange for his life? 
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."