Back
The cross is not one of life’s headaches we must suffer. The cross is not the waxing and waning of the condition and circumstances in our lives. The cross is not the fact that we must ‘put up with’ or ‘take’ what life gives.
One of the more endearing usages of this morning’s Gospel is meant to bring comfort. “Bless his heart…that’s his cross to carry.” Or, poor Ms. Foley, with a husband like that, she sure has her cross to bear.”
Many people are wont to take the sufferings and misfortune of life and turn them into crosses that must be carried.
And to be sure, if we focus on Jesus and His passion, the suffering we all undergo can be redemptive…the sufferings and trials and headaches and uncertainties can bring us closer to God the Father through Jesus Christ.
But in reality, conditions in life are not crosses to be born…no matter how much we wish it to be. I think this arises from a misguided reading of the Gospels.
The statement, “That is his cross to bear…that is her cross to bear”, is pastoral in nature and it does try to make since out of the mystery of hardship and suffering…but it is a stretch to pull that from today’s Gospel.
Last Sunday we heard the story of the Confession of Saint Peter- “You are the Christ” and this Sunday, we read of the response to the Confession of Peter.
“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
The cross is not so much about the fact of Jesus’ passion and death (although it certainly is), but rather, it is about complete and total obedience to God Almighty.
That is to say, when Jesus speaks of the Cross, He does so with the understanding that in picking up the Cross, He is in fact, performing an act of total and complete obedience to the will of God.
And we hear echoes of that in the Garden of Gethsemane, where we read this about Jesus:
And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, "Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." (The Gospel of Saint Luke XXII: xli-xlii RSV)
Not my will, but Thine be done. This my brothers and sisters is what it means to pick up your cross- to carry out the will of God against all forces and demands.
We see in the life of Jesus, perfect and complete and total obedience to God the Father. We see clearly what it means to pick up your cross.
With that being said, this whole business of picking up your cross becomes more difficult. For with this understanding of cross carrying…we do not deal with a one time event. Rather we deal with a life long struggle to be obedient.
To forfeit our own lives…to be obedient to something Greater than ourselves is difficult…it really and truly is a loss of one’s life.
And that is why, when you take a good look around...if you look through the eyes of Our Lord, you will see a myriad of crosses lying about. In the words of one of my favorite writers, G.K. Chesterton:
“"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." (G.K. Chesterton Chapter 5, What's Wrong With The World)
To pick up your cross and follow Christ involves a tremendous amount of dedication and fortitude.
It is a daily examination of the course and manner of your life…it is the examination of each and every decision- to see if it is indeed in accord with the will of God as received by the Church.
And perhaps more difficult…it requires engaging in activities that require humility and sacrifice. Things such as making Church attendance the highest priority in your life…being an advocate for the poor and the destitute…
Battling oppression and bigotry in the community…sacrificing yourself for the greater Good in whatever you do…and without doubt the most difficult…living a life to Christ in the midst of a world that lives only unto itself.
If we love the Lord our God and love our neighbor as ourselves, we will most certainly suffer. In a day and a time where many revel in and applaud the misfortune and suffering of others…to actually love our neighbor will certainly bring hardship on ourselves…
But we are called as Christians to total and perfect obedience…and so we must love…and we must care for all our brethren.
You will be viewed as an oddity…you will be noticed, and not always noticed in ways you desire. And sometimes, and in some places, obedience to God will land you in jail…will get you tortured…and could even cost you your life.
But then again…in obedience you could end up in a position of power and trust…able to do great good…you could end up bettering the lives of others…you could end up feeding the hungry and clothing the naked…you could end up saving lives…
In obedience to God, you most certainly will make the world a better place…you most certainly will be able to hold your head high…you most certainly will live in the Peace of God which passes all understanding.
And in obedience to God…I promise you, you will end up having saved your life for all eternity.
So, next time you hear, “Oh, sweety, that’s your cross to bear…” remember that the cross is not about surviving illness or misfortune…remember that the cross is about complete and total obedience to God.
That picking up the cross is dangerous…that it is all consuming…and the only thing that gives life.
So pick up your cross. Encourage others to pick up theirs…be obedient to the Will and the commandments of God.
“For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.”
09/03/2008
Sermon- Sixtenth Sunday After Pentecost 2008
by Fr. Jeff
"If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (The Gospel of Saint Matthew 16.24-25 RSV)
There are crosses lying all about. Crosses that have not been picked up. There are lives that have not been lost…lives that have not been saved by the mercy of Jesus Christ.The cross is not one of life’s headaches we must suffer. The cross is not the waxing and waning of the condition and circumstances in our lives. The cross is not the fact that we must ‘put up with’ or ‘take’ what life gives.
One of the more endearing usages of this morning’s Gospel is meant to bring comfort. “Bless his heart…that’s his cross to carry.” Or, poor Ms. Foley, with a husband like that, she sure has her cross to bear.”
Many people are wont to take the sufferings and misfortune of life and turn them into crosses that must be carried.
And to be sure, if we focus on Jesus and His passion, the suffering we all undergo can be redemptive…the sufferings and trials and headaches and uncertainties can bring us closer to God the Father through Jesus Christ.
But in reality, conditions in life are not crosses to be born…no matter how much we wish it to be. I think this arises from a misguided reading of the Gospels.
The statement, “That is his cross to bear…that is her cross to bear”, is pastoral in nature and it does try to make since out of the mystery of hardship and suffering…but it is a stretch to pull that from today’s Gospel.
Last Sunday we heard the story of the Confession of Saint Peter- “You are the Christ” and this Sunday, we read of the response to the Confession of Peter.
“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
The cross is not so much about the fact of Jesus’ passion and death (although it certainly is), but rather, it is about complete and total obedience to God Almighty.
That is to say, when Jesus speaks of the Cross, He does so with the understanding that in picking up the Cross, He is in fact, performing an act of total and complete obedience to the will of God.
And we hear echoes of that in the Garden of Gethsemane, where we read this about Jesus:
And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, "Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." (The Gospel of Saint Luke XXII: xli-xlii RSV)
Not my will, but Thine be done. This my brothers and sisters is what it means to pick up your cross- to carry out the will of God against all forces and demands.
We see in the life of Jesus, perfect and complete and total obedience to God the Father. We see clearly what it means to pick up your cross.
With that being said, this whole business of picking up your cross becomes more difficult. For with this understanding of cross carrying…we do not deal with a one time event. Rather we deal with a life long struggle to be obedient.
To forfeit our own lives…to be obedient to something Greater than ourselves is difficult…it really and truly is a loss of one’s life.
And that is why, when you take a good look around...if you look through the eyes of Our Lord, you will see a myriad of crosses lying about. In the words of one of my favorite writers, G.K. Chesterton:
“"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." (G.K. Chesterton Chapter 5, What's Wrong With The World)
To pick up your cross and follow Christ involves a tremendous amount of dedication and fortitude.
It is a daily examination of the course and manner of your life…it is the examination of each and every decision- to see if it is indeed in accord with the will of God as received by the Church.
And perhaps more difficult…it requires engaging in activities that require humility and sacrifice. Things such as making Church attendance the highest priority in your life…being an advocate for the poor and the destitute…
Battling oppression and bigotry in the community…sacrificing yourself for the greater Good in whatever you do…and without doubt the most difficult…living a life to Christ in the midst of a world that lives only unto itself.
If we love the Lord our God and love our neighbor as ourselves, we will most certainly suffer. In a day and a time where many revel in and applaud the misfortune and suffering of others…to actually love our neighbor will certainly bring hardship on ourselves…
But we are called as Christians to total and perfect obedience…and so we must love…and we must care for all our brethren.
You will be viewed as an oddity…you will be noticed, and not always noticed in ways you desire. And sometimes, and in some places, obedience to God will land you in jail…will get you tortured…and could even cost you your life.
But then again…in obedience you could end up in a position of power and trust…able to do great good…you could end up bettering the lives of others…you could end up feeding the hungry and clothing the naked…you could end up saving lives…
In obedience to God, you most certainly will make the world a better place…you most certainly will be able to hold your head high…you most certainly will live in the Peace of God which passes all understanding.
And in obedience to God…I promise you, you will end up having saved your life for all eternity.
So, next time you hear, “Oh, sweety, that’s your cross to bear…” remember that the cross is not about surviving illness or misfortune…remember that the cross is about complete and total obedience to God.
That picking up the cross is dangerous…that it is all consuming…and the only thing that gives life.
So pick up your cross. Encourage others to pick up theirs…be obedient to the Will and the commandments of God.
“For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.”
