Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me

 

 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?"  So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."  Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.  

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He spoke this word openly.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.  But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."   And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

 

- Mark 8:27-9:1 

 

Yesterday we read that the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Jesus, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.  But he sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign?  Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."  And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.  Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.  Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread."  But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread?  Do you not yet perceive nor understand?  Is your heart still hardened?  Having eyes, do you not see?  And having ears, do you not hear?  And do you not remember?  When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?"  They said Him, "Twelve."  "Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?"  And they said, "Seven."  So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?"  Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.  So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town.  And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.  And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking."  Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up.  And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking."  Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up.  And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.  Then He sent him away to his house, saying, " Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town." 

 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?"  So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."  Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.  My study Bible comments that, "Who do you say that I am?" is the greatest question any person can ever face, for it's the question that defines Christianity.  As Peter answers correctly, this prevents the Christian faith from being seen as merely another philosophical system or path of spirituality, as it names Jesus as the Christ.  That is, the one and only Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16).   This position, it says, excludes all compromise with other religious systems.  Peter's understanding cannot be achieved by human reason, but only through divine revelation through faith (1 Corinthians 12:3).  Christ means "Anointed One."  It is equivalent to the Hebrew title "Messiah."  My study Bible also asks us to note that Christ first draws out erroneous opinions about Himself.  He does so in order to identify these incorrect ideas, as a person is better prepared to avoid false teachings when they've been clearly identified. 

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He spoke this word openly.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.  But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  Here, following Peter's confession of faith that He is the Christ, Jesus reveals the true nature of His messiahship:  this is the mystery of Christ's Passion.  My study Bible explains that it was expected that the Messiah would reign forever, so the idea that Christ would die was perplexing to Peter and remained scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  Here Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan, as the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission and save humankind through suffering and death.  

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."    The cross was a dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, reserved for the worst of criminals.  But it is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  My study Bible comments that we practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  To accept this suffering is not a punishment, and neither is it an end in itself.  Rather, it's a means to overcome the fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom and to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).  

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it."  My study Bible notes that the central paradox of Christian living is that in grasping for what is temporal, we lose the eternal.  But in sacrificing everything in this world, we gain eternal riches which are unimaginable (1 Corinthians 2:9). 

 

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."   Jesus asks, "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  My study Bible says that this question emphasizes the utter foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power, for none of this can redeem a fallen soul, nor benefit a person in the life to come.  

And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."  This is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (tomorrow's reading), as well as those in each generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom.  

My study Bible emphasizes Christ's gospel of the Kingdom as making that presence real to those who may experience it through faith.  Jesus will teach, as reported in Matthew's Gospel, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20).  Here in today's reading, Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ makes the presence of God's kingdom real and palpable in the midst of the disciples, for He is the only-begotten Son.  Therefore, Christ's final comment in today's reading is illumined through His real identity as the Christ.  He introduces the great paradox of saying that, although that kingdom of God may be present with power to some, nonetheless that Kingdom will be achieved and claimed for Him with all authority through the means of a tremendous sacrifice, His suffering and death on the Cross.  There are many, many things that can be inferred and understood from this sacrifice, Christ's mission in the world as the Incarnate Son of God and human being Jesus, and no doubt many more to come.  But for now let us pause to consider that in teaching the disciples about taking up their own crosses, He invites us into perfect participation in His life, death, and Resurrection.  These things do not simply mean the life of this one human and divine Person, but the entirety of the life of the Kingdom.  For in so doing, Jesus invites us to live the life of the Kingdom, and for that Kingdom to be present to us even in the here and now.  Let us remember that through His mission and the Cross, Jesus assumes all authority as Lord.  So, He teaches here, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  How will we know what life of the soul is in store for us?  How can we understand these grave questions except in terms of participating in the life of the Kingdom, and what that holds for us?  There is no other way, except to understand that in imitation of Him, and through His invitation to us here to take up our own crosses, He invites us into that eternal life of the Kingdom, that "more abundant" life with Him.  We are asked to participate in His sacrifice ourselves so that we may also participate in His life and Kingdom.  Let us understand this great mystery, and the tremendous invitation to the gift of this life and this Kingdom.  Moreover, the gift of the soul is the gift of identity, and the "more abundant" life possible therein.  We can look at the saints and understand their sacrifices for the life of the Kingdom, and note that these lives are dynamic and powerful, people becoming somehow "more" themselves through such sacrifice, not less.  That door is open to us, and He is the Door Himself.

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to His works.  Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

 

- Matthew 16:21-28 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"  So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. 

 

  From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  My study Bible points out that after Peter's confession, Jesus here reveals the true nature of His messiahship:  the mystery of His Passion.  It explains that expectations were that the Messiah would live forever, so the notion that Christ would die was perplexing to Peter, and it would remain scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  Here Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan, for the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission and save humankind through suffering and death.  

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  The cross was a most dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, but, as my study Bible puts it, it is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  We therefore practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  To accept this type of suffering is not punishment, and neither is it an end of itself.  It is rather a means to overcome the fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom, and to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."  My study Bible calls it the central paradox of Christian living:  that in grasping for temporal things, we lose the eternal; but in sacrificing everything in this world, we gain eternal riches that are unimaginable (1 Corinthians 2:9).  

"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to His works."  Christ's questions regarding the soul emphasize the total foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power for its own sake -- none of this can redeem a fallen soul, nor benefit a person in the life to come.  

"Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."  My study Bible says this is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9; in tomorrow's reading), as well as those in every generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom.

In today's reading there is a deep and repeated concern with exchange.  Christ asks, "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  Here Christ gives us a statement of exchange:  "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."  There is the attempt to save which results in loss of life; and the willingness to lose which results in finding.  But Jesus juxtaposes the things that make up this exchange in His first response to Peter's remark that He should avoid the Cross:  "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  There are the things of God and the things of men.  Moreover, Peter's remark has the tinge of Satan, who does not desire Christ's salvific sacrifice and mission.  So there is the question posed to us:  what do we exchange for this heavenly reality, this grace that comes and permeates life so that we, also, may be participating in the kingdom of heaven?  What is the exchange that redeems the soul, that gives it values and meaning so that we enter into a movement of deepening closeness to God, and one which can stand us in good stead at that time of Christ's reward of each according to his works?  Of course, we have the image of Christ on the Cross so strongly in our minds and consciousness; this was the ultimate sacrifice for us all, so that each of us may be redeemed into this Kingdom to be with Him.  But what are we asked to give and to exchange?  We participate with Him on the Cross also, as He indicates when He says that we each must take up our own cross.  If we think about it, there is practically nothing in this world which we know of that can be gained without sacrifice.  If your dream is of owning a home, then one must give one's time to work for that.  Even theft, while always a sin, requires some effort (and unrepented sin may result in the loss or sacrifice of one's soul, opening ourselves up to Christ's question -- what is worth that?).  But if we tell ourselves no sacrifice is necessary in life for any reason, then we fool ourselves entirely.  Even the lives of the indigent are filled with burdens of simply trying to survive.  In this context of understanding and accepting that sacrifice is simply a part of life on any level, let us revisit Christ's words and accept them as promising something much, much more infinitely valuable than anything we can know which is purely "worldly."  That is not to deny that all of creation is of God and is therefore good, but rather it is to say that without God, without the saving nature of grace, creation falls into a state of something without its intrinsic beauty and timeless value that is offered to us therein.  We won't see it, we won't find it for ourselves and our souls.  There's an interesting concept in the letters of St Paul.  In two places St. Paul advises his flock to "redeem the time."  This is another emphasis on exchange, and we'd do well to pay attention.  In the letter to the Colossians, St. Paul writes, "Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" (Colossians 4:5-6).  In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul says something similar:  "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16).  A redemption is an exchange; to redeem is to gain something by some form of payment, but it has the added sense of repurchase, gaining value that was otherwise lost, salvation.  In these references to redeeming the time, St. Paul speaks of the great gift of our lives, our time which is given to us by God, with which we may redeem the world through our choices of exchange.  We may use our time to walk in wisdom, and thereby to continually give glory to God, effectively exchanging our worldly time for securing the things of God in the world, God's grace that may be at work in us even through the smallest things.  If the "days are evil," as St. Paul writes, then we may "walk circumspectly, not as fools but wise" and thereby redeem the time.  These small statements are mighty powerful in their allusion to the idea that we may redeem the substance of our lives and the lives of others through how we use our time, how we walk in the world.  They are compact illustrations of what it means to exchange a worldly set of purposes for God's purposes and make them effective even in redeeming the world, redeeming the time of our lives and even of others' lives whom we touch.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).  This is St. Paul's redemption of the time, a way to exchange the things of men for the things of God.  It is the way to live Christ's teaching to take up our own crosses, and sacrifice one for the other, redeeming the time of our lives which is inseparable from our place in the world and all that is in it.  On the passage I've cited from Ephesians, my study Bible comments, "The goal is not to abandon the world, but to keep oneself in Christ and salvage as much as possible from the evil world.  Christians renounce the fallenness of the world [my italics], not creation itself."  Let us follow Christ in sacrificing fallenness for the things of God, and redeem the time.  Let us consider carefully that sacrifice will be asked of us no matter what, by that which seeks to enslave and give death, and by the One who comes to make us free and give us life (John 8:31-36).  Which is your preference?

 

 

 

 

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?"  So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."  Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

And He began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He spoke this word openly.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.  But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

 

- Mark 8:27-9:1 

 

Yesterday we read that the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.  But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign?  Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."  And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.  Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.  Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread."  But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread?  Do you not yet perceive nor understand?  Is your heart still hardened?  Having eyes, do you not see?  And having ears, do you not hear?  And do you not remember?  When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?"  They said to Him, "Twelve."  Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?"  And they said, "Seven."  So He said to them, "How is it that you do not understand?"  Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.  So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town.  And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.  And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking."  Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up.  And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.  Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town."

 

  Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?"  So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."  Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.  As we have been following the map of Christ's journeys with the disciples, let us note that He has now headed north from Bethsaida, deeper into what is nominally Gentile territory although mixed with Jewish populations.  So, in some sense reminiscent of how He told the healed blind man not to return to Bethsaida in yesterday's reading (above), this revelation takes place outside of the reach of the Pharisees.   Let us first note that some say Christ is John the Baptist returned, as we hear that Herod suspects (see this reading).  It was prophesied that Elijah would return before the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6); elsewhere Jesus says that this role was fulfilled by John the Baptist (Matthew 11:14).   My study bible comments that "Who do you say that I am?" is the greatest question that any person can face, because it is the question which defines Christianity.  Peter's correct answer prevents the Christian faith from being simply another philosophical system or path of spirituality, because it names Jesus as the Christ.  In Matthew's Gospel, this confession names the Christ as the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:15-16).  This position, my study bible adds, excludes all compromise with other religious systems.  Peter's understanding cannot be achieved by human reason, but only by divine revelation through faith (1 Corinthians 12:3).  Again, in Matthew's version, Jesus adds, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 16:17).   Christ means "Anointed One," and is equivalent to the Hebrew title "Messiah."

 

 And He began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He spoke this word openly.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.  But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."   After Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, Jesus goes on to reveal the nature of His messiahship, and that is the mystery of Christ's passion.  My study bible explains that it was expected that the Messiah would reign forever, so the idea that Christ would die was strange to Peter, and would remain scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).   Peter thereby unwittingly speaks for Satan, as the devil didn't want Christ to fulfill His mission of saving humankind through suffering and death.

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  The cross was the most dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, crucifixion a death penalty reserved for the worst criminals.  The cross is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  My study bible says that we practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  To accept such suffering isn't punishment, and neither is it an end in itself.  It is rather a means to overcome the fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom, and to "crucify" the "flesh" with its passions and desires which can lead us away from God's purposes that are best for us (Galatians 5:24).  

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it."  Again, a note tells us that the central paradox of Christian living is that in grasping for the temporal, we lose the eternal.  But in sacrificing everything in this world -- that is, putting our lives into the hands of God and seeking God's direction for all things, we gain eternal riches that are unimaginable (1 Corinthians 2:9).  

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  This question regarding the soul is an emphasis on the foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power for its own sake.  It cannot redeem a person's soul, nor benefit them in the life to come.  Of incomparable value is the health and vibrant life of the soul, which cannot be purchased on worldly terms, and in turn magnifies all of one's life, and the life to come.

And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."  My study bible says this is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (in our following reading), but also those in every generation who will experience in their own lives the presence of God's Kingdom.  

What does it mean to experience the presence of God's Kingdom?  How does this work hand in hand with our lives in this world?  Some might think that we live a life here in this world that is utterly separate from whatever "afterlife" we feel there might be for us.  But in my opinion, this would be a false reading of the Gospels.  When Jesus sends the disciples out into the world on their first apostolic mission, His instruction is that they should tell the people they encounter, "The kingdom of God has come near to you" (Luke 10:9).  In other words, they carry with them the presence of that Kingdom, and so we should think of ourselves as engaging in and following within that work of the disciples as we practice our prayer, worship, and other practices of the Church designed to shore up and expand our faith.  Our real goal is what we pray in the Lord's Prayer:  "Your Kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  We don't live in what Fr. Stephen Freeman describes as a "two-story universe."  Father Freeman makes the point that we live in a one-story universe.  That is, one in which the Kingdom is everywhere present, as an Orthodox prayer to the Holy Spirit proclaims (see the top prayer at this page).    If one simply looks around at the interior of an Orthodox Church, one sees icons of saints and of angels, of Christ, and stories from the Gospels.  We understand this great cloud of witnesses to be present with us.  In Christian worship, we understand that we participate together with the angels who are continually worshiping God.  This is not a "someday" kind of understanding, but one meant to let us know the presence of the Kingdom and all its inhabitants with us.  In today's reading, Jesus gives us the understanding of the formula for building the presence of the Kingdom even as we live our lives in this world.  It is done as an exchange.  We live our lives as He did, placing everything in the hands of God, even all we possess and all the things we choose in how we live our lives.  It is in this sense that we each bear our own cross.  Just as the disciples left everything behind to become apostles, even following Christ's instructions on their first journey as they were sent out to take no special care for life on the road (Luke 9:3), so we also will find through a prayer life that we are asked to leave some things behind, to change our ways of thinking, and to be transformed by that life of the cross.  We are promised myriad ways in which the "life of the flesh" -- meaning a worldly life minus the awareness of the presence of the Kingdom -- and the life in Christ will conflict.  We come to see a worldly or entirely material way of thinking conflicts with the ways that God asks us to live so that God may live in us.  The practice of mercy is part and parcel of the reality of God, wherein a simplistic or self-righteous sense of justice only teaches us to vanquish what stands between a selfish or self-centered vision of what we desire and ourselves.  Our walk with Christ, on the other hand, invites us to continually expand our understanding of the good, even to see forbearance, and suffering for the sake of love and the Kingdom, as a good, precious, even rewarding gift.  The Cross is meant to transfigure our lives, to bring us to a greater sense of ourselves, a higher experience of life itself and what it can mean, and even bring salvation into a world beset with evil and suffering.  Let us remember that we live the Kingdom here, that is in our midst, within us and among us (Luke 17:20-21).  This does not happen merely through nominal "good deeds" or moral principles, but through our willingness to participate in that life of the Cross, to take up our own cross as He says, to be transformed in His likeness, and not to find salvation in self-righteous victory or victimization of others whom we don't like.  The Kingdom lives through the forward movement in spiritual freedom toward God and God-likeness, and this is where Christ asks us to go (see John 8:31-36).  We can see it in His own mission, in the things the disciples are asked to take on and to discard, even in the rejection they must accept, and the joy of their fulfillment.  We all have that choice for the soul, even as we live our lives in this world (John 17:9-19).

 

 

 

 

If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me

Jewelled Cross mosaic (detail), Basilica of Sant' Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna (549).  Photo by José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro, courtesy Wikimedia Commons

 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to you!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

- Matthew 16:21-28

Yesterday we read that when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"  So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to you!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  Immediately following the confession of Peter (above), Jesus gives to the disciples the real nature of His messiahship; that is, the mystery of His Passion.  My study bible explains that it was expected that the Messiah would reign forever, so the notion that Christ would die was not simply perplexing to Peter but also scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).   Peter's protest unwittingly speaks for Satan, as the Christ's suffering and death would fulfill His mission of salvation and deliverance for humankind.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  My study bible describes the cross as a dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, but also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  It says that we practice self denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  One might think about sacrifices made to care for a child, such as lack of sleep while nursing one who is sick, or extra employment sought to pay for benefits to the child.  In this sense, we understand that accepting this sacrifice or suffering is not a punishment, nor is it an end in itself, but rather it is a means by which -- as my study bible puts it -- to overcome the fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom, and to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).  Ultimately, as in suffering or sacrifice for a child, the purpose is love and healing, or making whole.  As Christ is the Physician, so we understand that to take up our cross and to follow Him is just this, a way to heal ourselves and by extension our world.

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works."  Jesus asks, "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?"   The idea of accumulating worldly wealth or power for its own sake is foolish, as this cannot redeem a fallen soul, nor heal it, nor benefit a person in the life to come.  Instead, our focus for purpose must be elsewhere.

"Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."  My study bible says that this is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (17:1-9, which will be in our next reading on Monday).  It applies, as well, to those in every generation who experience the presence of God's Kingdom.

Once Jesus is recognized through faith as the Christ (see yesterday's reading, above, and Peter's confession), then immediately it is the nature of His ministry and work of salvation that is revealed to the disciples.   Far from the idea of a kingdom of material abundance, Christ's first message is one of loving sacrifice -- the Cross.  His message to the disciples after Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, or Messiah, is that He will be killed in Jerusalem.   Jesus says that He will raised on the third day, but it is very doubtful that the disciples have understood what He is saying.  Moreover, the chief impact is the message that He will be killed, to which Peter vehemently replies in disagreement.  So sharp is this refusal of such news, that Jesus also responds strongly, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  Perhaps, in some way, we can say that Christ's words sum up the message of the cross, or rather what it means for each one of us to take up our own crosses.  Jesus will ask each one to make sacrifice for the sake of something more and something better, to trade this world for another -- for a life of the Kingdom.  There are many kinds of ways such things may come to us in our lives, such choices.  The disciples will leave behind families and social life they know in order to spread the message of the Gospel throughout the world.  Many more will follow them.  Persecution will be a part of the story of the early Church.  With all these things we are already familiar.  But what of those of us with lives in the Western world, where churches are not under threat nor hiding from the law?  We have our own set of choices to make, our own ways in which we, too, must take up our crosses.  Perhaps in your daily life, you are aware of a situation or circumstance in which you can no longer continue, which your prayer life always reminds you is untenable in the long run.  Perhaps, just as the early Christians were forced to choose loyalty to Christ or to worldly obligations, you also have a kind of test in your life in which you must choose loyalty somehow to one or the other.  As for the early Christians, each one's story and choices might be different, just as every life is unique, but the cross -- as Jesus says -- must come to each one of us.  Let us remember that, just like caring for a loved one and making sacrifices to do so, the sacrifice we might be called upon to do is for a purpose and a reason which gives our lives meaning and value.  The choice is always one of love.  It is neither punishment nor payment, but an exchange.  We exchange -- just as Jesus asks what our souls are worth -- one thing for something else of unsurpassably greater value.  We choose the cross and the Kingdom over the things that, in the end, simply will not give us as much, as deeply, as vitally to our souls.  Let us remember that this is all a product of faith, and that this all begins with Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, something that Jesus says was only possible because the Father revealed it to Peter.  There will always be that connection within us that declares the value and worth of the soul, for which no material price is sufficient.  There will always be the need for our mystical connection through prayer and through faith and worship in order to realize this healing power that makes us whole, without which the soul is not complete.  Let us consider what it is worth, the sacrifice Jesus will make for us, and how we are called to follow in His steps for a greater good, and for the life of the world (John 6:51).  This is something that will not change, regardless of how different appearances may be from one time period to another, from one country or society to another, from one life to another.  We will always be called to this mystical place in which we participate in the Kingdom, and we will always be called to make choices and sacrifices out of love for something much, much better.   Just like the story of the Transfiguration that will follow in our next reading on Monday, the Cross will always stand for both sacrifice and transcendence, the giving up of one thing for the revelation of so much more.

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

- Mark 8:34-9:1

Yesterday we read that Jesus came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.  So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town.  And when he had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.  And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking."  Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up.  And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.  Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town."  Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?"  So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."  Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.  And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He spoke this word openly.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.  But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." 

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  My study bible explains that the cross, the dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  It notes that we practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  To accept this suffering is not a punishment, and it is neither an end in itself.  Rather, it is a means to overcome the fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom, to "crucify" selfish passions and desires  (Galatians 5:24). 

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it."   My study bible says that the central paradox of Christian living is that in grasping for temporal things, we lose the eternal.  But in sacrificing everything in this world, we gain eternal riches that are unimaginable (1 Corinthians 2:9).

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"   My study bible says that this question emphasizes the utter foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power merely in and of itself -- none of this can redeem a fallen soul, nor indeed strengthen and protect what we have that is timeless and eternal.  It is the state of the soul that gives life a depth of meaning, goodness, purpose, joy.

"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  This is a reference to judgment, to the eternal life of the soul, and to the exchange we make through sacrifice for the sake of faith in Him.

And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."  This is both a reference to those who would witness Christ's Transfiguration (tomorrow's reading), and to those in every generation who will experience the presence of the kingdom of God in their lives.

Jesus has just been revealed to the disciples as the Christ; Peter's confession in yesterday's reading (above) has been certified by Christ as the correct answer to the question:  "But who do you say that I am?"  But in validating that answer, Mark's Gospel wastes no time whatsoever in giving us Jesus' answer to the disciples regarding what His messiahship means, and the suffering He will endure in the role of Savior.  Here in today's reading, He emphasizes that discipleship means following the Master, and that there is, indeed, a purpose and a plan in which the suffering has meaning, is not in and of its own sake simply good or an end in itself.  Rather, suffering is undergone for transfiguration -- for making choices in reaching for that which is everlasting, transcendent, giving meaning to all things and enduring beyond all things.  This is not masochism; it is rather about exchange and choices.  Jesus uses the word "exchange" Himself when He asks, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  This is a very real and profound question.  What would you give in exchange for your soul?   The soul is the part of us that has the capacity not merely for an eternal life in some sort of worldly sense of the future, but rather it is that which endures through all things, has a depth and weight and substance that transcends all things, is stronger than what the world can throw at us, and provides us a capacity for relatedness to Creator and what Creator can do for us.  The soul is a point of unification; through the exchange which Christ proposes when He teaches us to take up our own cross, we lose nothing of our experience and in particular the choices we make for the life and love He offers us.  It is important to understand that implied in all of this is the temptation to live on the surface alone.  To believe that life is only about the material is to refuse to see the temptation itself, and to fall into a kind of trap, to lose our capacity for true discernment.  There is a reality in and through all things, and which is present to us in the liturgy and the communion of saints.  It's present through prayer and through grace, through the gift of the Holy Spirit and God at work in us.  It is not something ephemeral; rather it creates true substance, the weight of the soul that has profound meaning and messages for those who care about what Christ offers to us.  We are offered a choice in which we may continually seek that which never truly satisfies, or go with Christ to a deeper and more powerful place, that which offers life in abundance, something we may experience.  In tomorrow's reading, the Transfiguration will reveal the fullness of this presence, this Kingdom that lives within us and among us -- an eternal reality present in the temporal.  Let us consider what we lose if we give up the soul that may participate in that reality, for everything is the subject of an exchange, an offer.  Which will you choose?

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

- Matthew 16:21-28

Yesterday we read that when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"  So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."   My study bible says that, after Peter's confession, Jesus reveals the true nature of His messiahship -- which is the mystery of His Passion.  Expectations were that the Messiah would reign forever.  The idea that Christ would die was perplexing and unacceptable to Peter, and remained scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan here, as the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission and save mankind through suffering and death.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  The cross was a dreaded instrument of Roman punishment.  Its implementation was reserved for the worst criminals; modern medical studies of its effects confirm the level of suffering it inflicted.  But as the instrument of Christ's death, it became a symbol of the transformation of suffering: Christians understand their own suffering in imitation of Christ.  We practice self-denial, my study bible says, for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  The acceptance of such suffering isn't a punishment, nor an end in itself, but a means to overcome the fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom and to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."  My study bible calls this the central paradox of Christian living:  in grasping for temporal things, we lose the eternal.  But in sacrificing everything in this world, we gain eternal riches that are unimaginable (1 Corinthians 2:9).

 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works."  This question about what we will give in exchange for our souls emphasizes the foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power at the expense of what is truly precious, and without which we have no true life in abundance.  None of that can redeem a fallen soul, nor benefit us in the life to come.

 "Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."  My study bible says that this is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (coming up in the next reading, 17:1-9), as well as those in every generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom.

Jesus brings home the message of the Cross.  Just as the disciples understand that He is the Christ, the Messiah, immediately it is time to prepare them for what is to come.  It is time to let them know how His ministry will go, the nature of His messiahship, and prepare them for the "sign of the prophet Jonah" (see Wednesday's reading).  The message here in today's reading is one of sacrifice:  of one way of life for another, one way of looking at life and the world for another, a worldly materialist perspective for one that includes the stuff which the soul needs for eternal life and for life in abundance.   He changes the whole way that we think about what constitutes abundance.  He offers us an exchange, a way of seeing that there are things worth having that are better than that which we covet and grasp, which add to life immeasurably.  He gives us the truth of what is beyond a limited worldly perspective.  In this is not just a promise of eternal life, but a promise of the fullness of life itself -- that we can grow in likeness to Him.  It is the foundation of what we look for, what we hold dear, and how we see ourselves with purpose and meaning far beyond what worldly realities of "success" or "failure" can teach us.  The whole of transcendence, of our worth as human beings, rests in these words of Christ that take us beyond appearances and assumptions.  There is something much greater working in us than we can even know, a depth to this promise that gives us meanings only God can confer.  What would you exchange for that?  How would life be without the apprehension of the soul and its joys and fullness?   For what do we sacrifice limitation and fear but the freedom He offers us and its rewards? 

Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

- Mark 10:17-31

Yesterday we read that Jesus left Capernaum and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."    In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."   And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  This wealthy young man comes to Jesus for advice.  He considers Jesus to be a "good Teacher."  Jesus' answer, my study bible says, doesn't deny that He is the Christ, but is designed to lead the rich man to this knowledge.  Jesus' first response is to cite the commandments (see Exodus 20:12-16, Deuteronomy 5:16-20).  The young man is devout, and has kept the commandments from his youth, but senses that he still lacks something.  My study bible says that formal observance of the commandments doesn't make one righteous before God.  This man has an earnest desire for eternal life.

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.   He lacks one thing, a willingness to exchange whatever it is that holds him back from taking up the cross, and following Christ for the life He offers.  My study bible says that nothing is gained unless such a sacrifice is given freely.  It adds that the specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person.  This follows on the teachings in Tuesday's reading to the disciples, in which Jesus taught that whatever keeps them from proper humility in service must be discarded.  For this young man, wealth had such a grip on his life that his hope is to sell what he has and give to the poor, and be free to follow Christ.  We note that this is presented by Jesus not merely as sacrifice, but exchange:  he will have treasure in heaven.  A commentary by St. John Chrysostom says that giving away possessions is the least of Christ's instructions to this man.  To follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling.

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."   There are many commentaries and interpretations of the saying Jesus offers here.  Some say that rather than camel the word used was Aramaic for "rope" (which is similar in sound).  Other suggest that the eye of a needle was a city gate through which a camel might be able to squeeze if first all its baggage was stripped, symbolizing wealth and possessions.   There is an expression used in the Talmud "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  But my study bible comments that whatever the phrase refers to, it's clearly meant by Christ to display the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  The disciples show by their astonished response how stunned they are by what He teaches, especially when they ask, "Who then can be saved?"  But with God's grace all things are possible.

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  Peter speaks for the apostles when he notes "we have left all and followed You."  My study bible says that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children here.  Rather, it refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family, according to commentary by St. John Chrysostom.  It also means, my study bible adds, that one may have to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  The promise of a hundredfold return (again, in keeping with the language of exchange) of houses and relatives is not meant in a worldly or earthly sense but rather a spiritual one:  the fathers and mothers of the Church, sisters and brothers in Christ, houses of worship and fellowship.

As noted in commentary above, Jesus speaks of an exchange.  There's practically no telling which of our "possessions" will stand in the way of taking up the cross and following Christ.  As we read on Tuesday, Jesus could be speaking of elements of personality, habits, or selfish tendencies that need to be sacrificed for the mission of the Church.  That was in His teaching to the apostles about their own competitive tendencies as they argued for position with one another.  Here, this young man wishes for eternal life and Jesus asks him to exchange his way of life for the one offered in following Him.  He promises him treasure in heaven.   As St. Chrysostom indicates, this advice is specific to the young man.  The things we are asked to give up in exchange for the life Christ offers to us may vary from individual to individual and specific time to specific time.  This is not something that is predictable, but is the product of grace at work in us.  When Jesus says that "with God all things are possible," He's speaking of this steady constant influence upon us when we seek to walk in faith.  One by one, there will be things that come up in our lives for us to make choices over.  Each will present us with a question of what is more important, this thing we hold dear (which could be absolutely anything, from a personal fondness for a way of thinking to parts of our lives to which we are deeply attached, habits, relationships, or possessions) -- or our walk with Christ, our faith and hope and trust in where He leads us.  This is discipleship.  It is the process of life and faith.  None of these things are easy, because what we sacrifice or exchange is something to which we are deeply enough attached that it may form a stumbling block to the fullness of life offered in Christ.  We may need to strip away something before we understand where we're headed, and the fullness of the replacement in exchange.  But in so doing, we find faith increased, as well as dependency upon Christ.  It is always a walk toward something, a journey to the life He offers in exchange.  What would you give for your freedom to follow Him?

I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them

 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.  And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  And His disciples heard it.

So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.  When evening had come, He went out of the city.

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

- Mark 11:12-26

Yesterday we read that when Jesus and the disciples drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; and He said to them, "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.  And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here."  So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it.  But some of those who stood there said to them, "What are you doing, loosing the colt?"  And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded.  So they let them go.  Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it.  And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:  "Hosanna!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'  Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!"  And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple.  So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.  And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  And His disciples heard it.  This fig tree had sprouted an early full foliage, indicating a first crop of fruit.  But it had not borne any fruit.  Jesus' condemnation is for this lack of bearing fruit, and is considered to be a spiritual teaching.  The fig tree in Scripture is often a symbol of Israel (Hosea 9:10).  This is the image of a spiritually beautiful appearance, but without fruitfulness.  The Kingdom will be taken away from Israel and given to another people, who are called to bear spiritual fruit (see Matthew 21:43; Galatians 5:22-23).  It is related to Christ's Triumphal Entry in yesterday's reading, His welcome into Jerusalem as worldly king:  nationalism as determiner of the elect will not be the key to this Kingdom.  Rather true spiritual fruitfulness will be its currency.

So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.  When evening had come, He went out of the city.  Those who bought and sold are those trading in live animals to be used for sacrifices in the temple.  The money changers would trade Roman coins for Jewish coins -- since Roman coins bore the image of Caesar and were therefore considered to be defiling in the temple.  My study bible says that the cleansing of the temple points to the necessity that the Church be kept free from earthly pursuits.  As each person is considered a temple of God, it tells us (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19), it is a sign also that our hearts and minds must be cleansed of "earthly" matters; that is, life and choices absent our commitment to God.  This is Jesus' first act as "Messiah" in Jerusalem.  He quotes from the prophets:  Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11.

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."   Jesus' cursing and withering of the fig tree is a prophetic act.  It signifies the judgment of Israel.  It's a sign that what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away (Hebrews 8:13) -- the old covenant.  These apostles will establish Jesus' Church, which will ultimately be filled with Gentiles and Jews; they need assurance that they are following His will in doing so.  The vivid image of this fig tree will be indelible in their minds.

So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."  Jesus ties prayer and faith together.  My study bible says that while it's not recorded than an apostle literally moved a mountain, Tradition is clear that they had this authority if the need had arisen (there are stories also of certain saints making crevices appear in the mountains).  Also, all the things done by the apostles was not written down.  Beyond the literal meaning here, this promise is an illustration of the power of faith and prayer in all areas of our lives.  Theophylact says, "Whatever we ask, without hesitation and believing in God's power, we shall receive" when we ask for spiritual profitable things.  The tie with faith is irreversible:  it is faith that teaches us also to seek the will of  God, a humility that puts our own will subservient -- in that spirit, effective prayer becomes part of the life of one who wants what God seeks of us.  Thus, the Spirit may pray in us, teaching us "what we ought to pray for."

"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."  Jesus deliberately adds this note on prayer to accompany His statement about prayer and faith.  It is also, we must note, a statement about humility.   Mutual forgiveness between people is a requirement for God's forgiveness.  We who do not forgive are not forgiven.  This is the condition of our minds and hearts in prayer, a requirement that sets the tone for the image of faith.  We give up, in effect, all things to God.

Prayer becomes a key issue immediately following Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem.  Here, on His first day in the city after the Triumphal Entry, He cleanses the temple.  But among the disciples, the discourse is focused on what their lives and His Church must be about, and what is happening during this Passion Week.  The old is giving way to the new, and the new covenant is determined by faith.  Prayer and faith are inseparable in practice and in fact.  One shores up and is an expression of the other.  Each "blooms" inside and with the other:  prayer blooms with faith, faith blooms with prayer.  One writer on contemplative prayer, Fr. Thomas Keating, calls prayer that which deepens "the pool of grace."  Jesus links prayer and faith here for us, and also His call for forgiveness as a part of prayer.  In teaching us about forgiveness, there are a couple of things we notice.  The first is that it is not necessary to wait for someone else to forgive us to take action.  It is not necessary for another person to change their minds, to mediate their behaviors, to ask for our forgiveness, or even to become a friend in any sense.  Forgiveness is about giving things up to God, even people and their behaviors.  When we practice this sort of forgiveness, we are saying that God mediates all our relationships, and we are leaving judgment to God.  Of course, as Jesus is addressing the disciples, He's also speaking about discipline within the Church -- our relationships with one another as faithful.  Thus, there is connected to prayer an even deeper sense of the pool of grace; that is, of communion in God's love.  As such, our relationships to are to be mediated by the love of God.  (Jesus will also give instructions for formal forgiveness and correction within the Church, but this addresses our action in prayer.   Forgiveness does not need to wait for correction of behavior; however, it does depend on discernment for how best we react to the offending party.)   The second thing that Jesus' teaching on mutual forgiveness teaches us is that we are always in the process of receiving and participating in an exchange.  This, in some sense, is what faith is truly all about.  It cuts to the heart of things.  We are either worldly (that is, living in some way with a sense of separation from God), or we are faithful -- living our lives within such connection or communion.  This is the tension in which we live as human beings.  When we forgive -- that is, when we give up situations and people to God for God's will and discernment in navigating our lives  -- we exchange the "worldly" for the a life of faith in which even our worldly lives are governed by this communion.  We may need to forgive a person who has done us a terrible wrong, a great injustice, even grievous injury -- but we also need to pray for guidance as to how best to live our lives with respect to that person.  To forgive does not necessitate contact, and for that matter, neither does love.  But to give up vengeance to God is always possible, to ask God's discernment for proper conduct in light of a difficult situation is always necessary.  Forgiveness does not call us to self-harm; it calls us to true sanity, discernment, and awareness.  It is the beginning of learning how to put our faith into practice and relying on God to teach us how to do that.  This becomes part and parcel of the faith that moves mountains.  It is a key component to the humility that true prayer calls us to, where we put all things before God.  It does not condone all things done to us.  Rather, it sets us free to serve God in our response, and to understand ourselves as faithful.  This is our covenant.  It is the power to make all things new.

What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?"  So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."  Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many thins, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He spoke this word openly.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.  But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."  And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power." 

- Mark 8:27-9:1

Yesterday, we read that the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Jesus, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.  But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign?  Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation?"  And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.  Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.  Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread."  But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread?  Do you not yet perceive nor understand?  Is your heart still hardened?  Having eyes, do you not see?  And having ears, do you not hear?  And do you not remember?  When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?  They said to Him, "Twelve."  Also when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?"  And they said, "Seven."  So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?"  Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.  So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town.  And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.  And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking."  Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up.  And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.  Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town."

 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?"  So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."  Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.  Here is the central question:  "Who do you say that I am?"  What we believe about Christ will fix our understanding of our relationship to God and to our faith.  My study bible suggests that Jesus draws out other opinions ("Who do men say that I am?") in order to expose and identify incorrect ideas, and false teachings that my arise from them.  To say that "You are the Christ" (Messiah, or Anointed One) is possible only through faith (see 1 Corinthians 12:3).  We note that Peter speaks not just for himself, but for all of the disciples.   The Messianic secret is so huge, and so open to misunderstanding and false expectations, that the disciples are strictly warned that they should tell no one.

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many thins, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He spoke this word openly.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.  But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."   Here is the revelation of the shocking true nature of Jesus' messiahship.  In complete contradistinction to expectations of the time, Jesus gives an account of the Passion to come.  My study bible tells us that it was expected that the Messiah would reign forever.  The idea that Christ would die was perplexing to Peter, and would remain scandalous to the Jews after the Resurrection, as we know from St Paul (1 Corinthians 1:23).  Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan in the sense that the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission, salvation and liberation of mankind through suffering and death.

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."  And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power." Jesus does not just present the disciples with the image of Messiah as One who will suffer and die, and rise from the dead.  He also gives them the instruction that they are to "follow Him."  Jesus transformed the cross -- dreaded Roman instrument of death and punishment -- into a symbol of transformation, hope, and Resurrection.  We imitate Christ by also taking up our individual crosses.  For each of us who are faithful, He transforms our own suffering and self-denial for the sake of God and love of the Gospel into that which also transcends and gives hope and resurrection.  These are not punishment, but rather means to overcome a fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom, love of God, a fuller and expanded sense of life itself, and the power of love.  Everything else falls into this context and is changed and redeemed and transformed for each one of us and our own moments of challenge and acceptance.  In these verses, Jesus offers us an extraordinary choice, and demands that we weigh the importance of one side or the other.  Those who will see the kingdom of God present with power are thought to be the disciples who will will witness the Transfiguration (our next reading), as well as those in each generation who experience for themselves the presence of God's Kingdom.

Jesus asks us to weigh our priorities, our options.  "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  Tied to this central question, He speaks of shame.  "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."  What is shame?  Shame is a public form of humiliation, assigned to us by the group, the society.  It's different from guilt, in which one may feel appropriately remorseful for an act one has committed.  There is also inappropriate and morbid guilt, which is frequently connected to feelings of shame we may or may not be aware of.  The kind of shame Jesus tells us to bear is one that is a result of scandal, the same kind of scandal that the Cross is.  There may be times in our lives when we are asked to choose between a kind of social shame for standing up for faith in the gospel of the Kingdom, making a choice, that is not compatible with the views of our "group" or society or social environment.  For this we may become "scandal," and bear shame.  Jesus asks us to weigh the importance when facing such questions and decisions between the precious measure of our own souls, and saving a kind of reputation that may have us "fitting in" but denying where our soul may need to go.  This isn't an easy question, and it's not given in an easy or simple context.  Jesus knows very well how frightening it is, what scandal is and means.  No one will sacrifice more than He, nor His disciples in losing their Master in the flesh.  It's not an easy statement, and it's not given to us as another way of shaming us when we weigh the choices for ourselves.  It is a teaching, something we need to think about, to consider.  Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross enters us into a new world of choices, where shame and scandal may become something to endure for the sake of the Gospel, and for the sake of saving our own souls.  This is a hard paradox, a completely different reality than one can understand by simply following the rules and the social proprieties.  Shame, in Jesus' context, becomes a part of the journey, something we have to weigh on the other side of the shame we may find in the presence of Christ in the "glory of his Father with the holy angels."    The word for shame in the Greek has roots that imply a disgrace for siding with the wrong element, wrongly aligning with something, following a lie.  Let us consider what Jesus is asking of us, the choices He makes and will encourage us to make in following Him.  He asks us to be capable of complicated decisions, He pulls us out of our environments -- even that we may choose what is right when those all around will tell us or treat us as if we are wrong.