Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo
great suffering…and be killed, and after three days rise again. He
said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to
rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked
Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your
mind not on divine things but on human things.” (8:31-33)
Like Peter, most of us would rather avoid the sacrificial living that the
Gospel requires of us. If we put ourselves on the line by responding
to the needs of others, what will it cost us? It is sometimes difficult to
believe that the way of the cross can be the way to life.
A few years ago, Desmond Tutu, the former Archbishop of Cape
Town, South Africa, visited our parish. Bishop Tutu is someone who
has taken the call of the Gospel to heart at great personal cost. He
did this by addressing the injustice of South African apartheid and
later by chairing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which led
to justice and healing.
Though he has suffered, Bishop Tutu’s interactions are characterized
by a love for God and a clear sense of joy and freedom. What might
happen in our lives, in our relationships, if we are willing to take up
our cross and follow Christ?
—Joy Daley
No comments:
Post a Comment