In today’s Gospel, Matthew 16: 24-28, Jesus says to his disciples,
that is to you and me: “ If ..[you] wish
to come after me [you] must deny [yourself], take up [your] cross, and follow
me. For [if you wish] to save[your]
life, [you] will lose it, but [if you lose] your life for my sake, [you] will
find it.”
Am I willing to take up a cross that is repulsive to me,
that I would never choose for myself?
How would I treat someone who treats me coldly, for instance? How would
I respond to persons who avoid eye
contact with me, who would walk away when I am approaching? How would I respond to
people who seems to be ignoring me, whose attitude toward me seems filled with
hostility and disdain?
If I am carrying such a cross, I need to think of Jesus. He
was treated with hostility. People
treated Him disdainfully, coldly, walked away from Him. They yelled “Crucify
Him,” “Crucify Him!” Whom am I crucifying by my coldness, my attitudes of
disdain and hatred? I may hate being treated coldly. I may hate it when I am
not treated respectfully and kindly.
Jesus says to me: Remember, people hated me and they will hate you as
well (John 15:18). We all stand before
our God as sinners. We all stand before God needing God’s mercy. No one is
exempt from this position. God says to His Father: “Father, forgive them, for
they know not what they are doing” to one another. And when we turn to Him in
our dying to urges to retaliate, to return evil for evil, and acknowledge our need for mercy and forgiveness, Jesus says to us: “This day you will be with me in Paradise.”
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