If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it

 

 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."  

 

 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."  

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.  But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."

 

- Luke 9:18–27 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him.  And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.   When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.  

 

  And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."   My study Bible comments here that, as in every generation, what the crowds have to say about Jesus is usually unpredictable and misguided. 

 

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."   Here my study Bible tells us that Who do you say that I am? is the ultimate question in Scripture and in all theology.  This is because how this question is answered will define the universe.  Christ (Hebrew Messiah) means "Anointed One."   This declaration of Peter that Jesus is the Christ of God reveals that Jesus isn't simply another anointed king or prophet.  It distinguishes Jesus as the long-awaited Savior.

 

  And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."    My study Bible says that Jesus desires to keep His identity as the Christ hidden in order to avoid popular political and theological misunderstandings, which are rife at His time, as they have been at so many others.  It is only after His Passion and Resurrection that His identity as Messiah can be properly understood.  Isaiah prophesies this secrecy (see Isaiah 42:1-4).  Various reasons for secrecy include the growing hostility of the Jewish leaders (and in yesterday's reading -- above -- we read of Herod Antipas' desire to see Jesus); the people's misunderstanding of the Messiah as an earthly, political leader; and Christ's desire to evoke genuine faith, which is not based solely on marvelous signs.  

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels."  My study Bible asks us to note two things.  First, that each person must take up one's own cross.  That burden in this world will be different for each person; each has been chosen, my study Bible says, to bear certain struggles for one's own salvation and the salvation of those around oneself.  Second, Our cross is to be taken up daily.  That is, commitment to following Christ is not simply a one-time event.  Instead, it is the continual practice of faith and obedience, even to the point of being shamed and persecuted by the world.  

"But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."  My study Bible says that this is a reference to those who will witness the Transfiguration (in our next reading, Luke 9:28-36), as well as to those in each generation who experience the presence of God's Kingdom.  

In today's reading, Jesus asks, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  And then He deliberately contrasts that with the answer of His disciples, "But who do you say that I am?"  St. Peter answers on behalf of all of them:  "The Christ of God."   But how does Peter know this?  Do we stop to think about how we have this kind of faith, or this kind of knowing?  There is a type of certainty that goes beyond all of our training in life, our parental upbringing, our being raised in the Church (or not), or what others around us tell us.  Certainly this contrasting set of questions as posed by Jesus teaches us that on some level, and to some extent.  After all, as my study Bible comments, what the crowds have to say about Jesus is usually misguided, then as now.  So let us explore where Peter's correct answer comes from.  First of all, what we know about Peter is that he is a core person in Christ's "inner circle" of His key disciples.  That is, Peter forms a trio, together with Sts. John and James Zebedee, of Christ's disciples with the strongest faith.  It is this three that goes into the home of Jairus when all else are put outside in order to help facilitate the healing, and raising, of Jairus' daughter (see Tuesday's reading).  Peter and the others were first disciples of John the Baptist, and John directed his disciples to Christ (see John 1:35-42).   Certainly we know that from the time these men left their nets "and forsook all and followed Him" (see Luke 5:1-11), they have been companions of Christ through His ministry, living with Him and learning from Him.  Now they have already been sent out on their first apostolic mission as well (see yesterday's reading, above).  But what is it -- what is that mysterious component within St. Peter -- that gives him the kind of faith that he has to know who Christ is?  Certainly at the time when Christ told the men (Peter, James, and John) to let down their nets for an extraordinary catch of fish, the result was something that spiritually struck St. Peter like a blinding light, a slap in the face, causing him to fall down at Christ's knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (Luke 5:8).  We can understand that such a response tells us only one thing:  that St. Peter's perception of Christ as Lord makes a brilliant visceral contrast to the way he sees himself, as one lacking such perfection and holiness.  This, too, is a mark of a holy person who can see this truth, and recognize the difference between the Lord and ourselves on these spiritual terms.  Perhaps the biggest answer to this question of where Peter's faith is rooted comes from another Gospel.  St. Matthew tells the story in Matthew 16:13-28.  In Matthew's Gospel, when St. Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus replies 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" (Matthew 16:17).  How does God the Father work through St. Peter to create this revelation of faith?  That is a mystery that one wonders if anyone knows.  But certainly we can say that St. Peter's heart is open to the promptings of God.  We can see throughout the Gospels, that Peter is a man who speaks from the heart, often with very little filter, it seems from what we know of the Gospels.  He is a man who is able to humbly take a stunning rebuke from his Lord, because we also read this in St. Matthew's account of Peter's confession of faith.  When Jesus follows with His prophecy of His own death and Crucifixion, St. Peter sincerely says, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  Jesus' response is to say 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" (Matthew 16:23).  How is it that Peter's faith is such that he can bear such a rebuke from Christ?  Yet his loyalty is unwavering, and he continues to follow as disciple.  Rebuke or no rebuke, he trusts in his Lord, and he trusts who Jesus is.  Perhaps the greatest and surest victory of the Cross comes in our security in God's love, for Peter's steadfast love of Christ will overcome this obstacle of rebuke, and the temptation and shame of denial at the time of Jesus' arrest and trial at the home of the High Priest (Matthew 26:69-75).   Even Peter's bitter tears of failure do not stop him from returning to Christ and the disciples, and from his final challenge from Christ, which is all about love:  asking him three times, "Do you love Me?" the risen Christ charges Peter to feed His sheep, also teaching him by what death he would die, following his Lord (see John 21:15-19).  In St. Peter's faith, we see the story of the struggle that encompasses all the highs and lows of human experience, for love conquers all of it.  It's Christ's love that defeats and encompasses everything else, and Jesus' words of response in Matthew's Gospel are proven true:  "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" (Matthew 16:18).  From the heights and the depths of Peter's journey all that lasts is Christ and the strength of faith that encompasses everything, for love is the key to it all.  In today's reading, Jesus teaches, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."  It is the bonds of love to Him that allow us to "lose ourselves," allow St. Peter to overcome all of his own stumbling, and remain unyielding in clinging and returning to Christ.  For, like St. Peter, where we find ourselves in losing, He is there for us.

 

 

 

But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God

 

 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."   

 

And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."

 

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.  But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."

 

- Luke 9:18–27 

 

 On Saturday, we read that Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him.  And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

 

  And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."  My study Bible comments here that, as in every generation, what the crowds have to say about Jesus is usually unpredictable and misguided.  

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."   My study Bible notes that who do you say that I am? is the ultimate question in Scripture and in all theology.  How this question is answered will define the universe.  Christ (in Hebrew, Messiah) means "Anointed One."  This declaration of Peter that Jesus is the Christ of God is a revelation that Jesus is not simply another anointed king or prophet, but in fact the long-awaited Savior.

And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."  Why does Christ wish to keep His identity a secret?  My study Bible comments that He wishes to avoid popular political and theological misunderstandings.  Only after His Passion and Resurrection can His identity as Messiah be properly understood.   My study Bible adds to this reason the growing hostility of the religious leadership; the people's belief that the Messiah will be an earthly, political leader; and that Christ's desire is to evoke genuine faith not based solely on marvelous signs.  Jesus' words hearken to Isaiah's prophecy of the Suffering Servant, including the mission to the Gentiles (see Isaiah 42:1-4).

 

 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels."  My study Bible asks that we note two things.  First, that each person must take up one's own cross.  The burden in this world is different for each person, for each has been chosen by God to bear certain struggles for one's salvation and for the salvation of those around oneself.  Second, our cross is to be taken up daily.  Commitment to following Christ is not simply a one-time event.  It is, in fact, the continual practice of faith and obedience, even to the point of being shamed and persecuted by the world.  

"But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."   My study Bible calls this verse a reference to those who will witness the Transfiguration (in Friday's reading, Luke 9:28-36), as well as to those in each generation who experience the presence of God's Kingdom.

The emphasis found on our last verse by my study Bible seems to be very important at this time.  It's essential that we understand the responsibility for this experience and the living out of faith that falls on each generation.  The presence of the kingdom of God is an important experience and understanding.  We might feel this presence "where two or three are gathered together" (Matthew 18:20), and so we learn that kind of fellowship that is present in such circumstances.  It is a subtle experience, that might make itself understood only after the gathering and in retrospect, but so often there is a hidden current running through such times that make them special.  Upon reflection, we find insights that come from inside the group or the meeting that don't happen elsewhere.  We can find this with Bible Study circles as well, in which important questions are asked and answered, and there is a group experience of a hidden thread of common experience that feeds each one somehow -- each with one's own life experiences, and one's own answer.  Often it is in the practice of worship that we will find "quiet moments" although we are in the midst of many people, and a transforming type of energy gives insight, or space to reflect and accept what we never manage to otherwise, even alone with no one else present.  These are common, subtle experiences of the presence of the Kingdom with us.  It is important that we recognize such things when they occur for us in our lives, because each experience is a testimony to that presence, and serves us as a foundation for forward movement, deepening faith, and our own testimonies we may wish to give to people and so share the gospel message.  The emphasis my study Bible places on each generation is important, because while we can rely on "the Church" and all the myriad ways we see efforts to evangelize, and ever-expanding translations of the Bible and biblical literature that publishers will place on the market, ultimately the Church rests upon each one of us to carry on, and carry into the world in every generation.  There will never be a substitute for this, nor a doctrine promoted that substitutes, nor even a book published that does the same.  This is because the presence of God is something that gives life to everything else, and without that reality somewhere in our vocabulary of life, we're not going to understand the Gospels or the Bible anyway.  This is not an abstract exercise, and Jesus did not give us purely theoretical concepts to think about and judge.  He gave us commandments, most notably the "new commandment" to love one another.  For it is that love that really forms the Church, makes it real, makes it work in our lives, and helps us to share it with others.  There is no substitute for this.  Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, and He gave two as His answer:  to love God with all one's heart and soul and strength, and to love neighbor as oneself.  In Luke's Gospel, we will read a version of this question and answer in which Jesus is also asked, "Who is my neighbor?" as a follow up question.  He then responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan, found only in Luke's Gospel (see Luke 10:25-37).  These "greatest commandments," and also the parable, affirm for us the importance of faith as based in living, in action.  If we follow Christ's command to love one another, then we find that our lives are equipped with something that all the slogans and doctrines and theories in the world cannot give, and that is love.  Our Scriptures tell us that God is love (1 John 4:8), and so we may conclude that where two are three are gathered in the name of Christ. so love is there with us.  If we are truly living our faith, this is what we will find that binds us, giving a sense of what we can give and share with others, even if we feel our own resources are scarce, for this is truly what the parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us.  We will find that we have something that is a part of us that we won't find elsewhere, and that is love.  It is in this linked sense in which we deny ourselves, and take up our cross daily, as Jesus teaches.  For the practice of love is about giving, and in so doing we strangely gain.  We find that our lives our saved by "losing" and then "finding" ourselves in this sense.  Christ's commandments are commandments of love, and the living of love.  It is a power that supersedes all others, because nothing else is like it.

 

 

 

 

 

Who do you say that I am?

 

 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."

And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.  But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."

 

- Luke 9:18–27 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him.  And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately to a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.   

 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."   My study Bible comments that, as in every generation, what the crowds have to say about Jesus is usually unpredictable and misguided.  

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."  My study Bible claims that "Who do you say that I am?" is the ultimate question in Scripture and in all theology.  How one answers this question defines the universe.  "Christ" (in Hebrew, "Messiah") means "Anointed One."  The declaration of Peter that Jesus is the Christ of God is a revelation that Jesus isn't just another anointed king or prophet; rather, He is the long-awaited Savior.  

And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."  My study Bible says that Jesus desires to keep His identity as the Christ hidden in order to avoid popular political and theological misunderstandings.  It is only after His Passion and Resurrection that  His identity as Messiah can be properly understood.  Note in this context that in yesterday's reading, for example, we were told that Herod Antipas has become aware of Him and wonders who exactly He is. Additionally, there is already friction and conflict with the Pharisees (see this reading from chapter 7), and there remains the popular anticipation of the Messiah as an earthly, political leader like a great worldly king.  Moreover, Christ's emphasis on faith is not about coercion through signs, but the desire to find those of genuine faith.

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels."  My study Bible asks us to note two things in Christ's teaching here.  First, each person must take up his own cross.  The burden in this world is different for each person, and each has been chosen by God to bear certain struggles for his own salvation and the salvation of those around him.  Second, the cross is to be taken up daily.  It says that commitment to following Christ isn't only a one-time event.  It is, instead, the continual practice of faith and obedience.  This means even to the point of being shamed and persecuted by the world.  

"But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."  My study Bible comments that this is a reference to those who will witness the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36, tomorrow's lectionary reading), as well as to those in every generation who experience the presence of God's Kingdom.  

In today's reading, the central event is this recognition and definition of who Christ exactly is -- in Peter's words, Jesus is the Christ of God.  He's not simply an anointed king or prophet.  He is the Messiah, the Christ, for all the world.  As my study Bible says, this is the most important question in all of Scripture, because the identity of Jesus Christ also defines many other things we want to know and to think about for ourselves and our lives.  The "people of God" or the "church of God" that will gather through faith in Christ will not just be from one ethnic group, from one nation or country, from one state or political grouping, or any other nominal sort of worldly grouping or classification that we can think about.  Those who will become a part of His Church through faith will be from throughout all the world and throughout all the ages of the world.  There will be no barriers to becoming a part of this Church save through faith.  But it is, indeed, more than a Church, as Christ has said.  "Those who hear the word of God and do it" are His mother and brothers (Luke 8:21), His family.   St. Paul, in his letters, writes several times about the spirit of adoption that makes this family.  For example, he writes to the Romans, "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father'" (Romans 8:15).  We cry out "Abba" ("Daddy") as did Christ (Mark 14:36), for we are a part of His family through this spirit of adoption.  It is only because of His identity as the Christ of God that this is understood.  Moreover, such a notion makes it conceivable that St. Paul can write to the Galatians, "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29).  Christian faithful can only become Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise (Genesis 17:1-7), if Jesus is the Christ of God.  As the Christ of God, Jesus becomes relevant to the entire world, creating the potential for all of us to become true brothers and sisters, and "heirs according to the promise."  The power of that call toward a basic understanding of humanity as equally offered Christ's salvation and redemption becomes an acknowledgement of the radical truth of God's love for all, for each.  It enables us to recognize this spiritual call as one made to each, from all walks of life, ages, classes, categories, where there are no boundaries to God's love nor to its recognition by each of us -- save through faith alone.  Each may become a part of the great cloud of witnesses, joining in with the worship in heaven we glimpse in the vision of Isaiah, in which the seraphim cry to one another, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" (Isaiah 6:1-3).  We may note for ourselves that the seraphim declare the whole earth to be full of the Lord's glory.  Only if we understand Him as the Christ of God does this become fully manifest for us in its meanings and potentials.  It is only through this understanding that all human beings are elevated through the gift offering of Christ for salvation, which awaits only our own love in return to join in this communion.  Finally, the understanding of His true identity after His sacrifice and Resurrection means He offers Himself truly "for the life of the world."  In this identity as Christ of God He gives each one to another, for we have many brothers and sisters, from all ages and places of the world, whom we don't even know.  Let us consider the many gifts we're given; and how they continually give more, even those we can't yet know or name.

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it

 

 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 explains that after Peter's confession (in yesterday's reading, above), Jesus reveals the true nature of His messiahship:  the mystery of His Passion.  It was expected that the Messiah would reign forever, so the concept that Christ would die was perplexing to Peter and remained scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  As Jesus indicates, Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan, 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; my study Bible points out that it is at the same time a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  Christians practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  My study Bible comments that to accept this suffering is not a punishment, nor an end in itself.  Rather it is 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 notes 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).  It is important that we put this in the context of choice, what we put first as priority in life, what we choose over all else (Matthew 6:33).

 "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 question emphasizes the foolishness of putting first in life the accumulation of worldly wealth or power in the sense that it cannot redeem our fallen soul, and neither will it benefit us in the life to come.  We are being given illustrations of the choices we will be asked to make.

"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 calls this a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (our next reading, Matthew 17:1-9), as well as those in every generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom.  

The concept of exchange is one that we continually come across in the Gospels and in the teachings of Jesus, but often it seems to elude conception to picture it this way.  In today's reading, Jesus speaks about an exchange of perceptions, a way of giving things up to God, putting our material lives in God's hands for God's priorities.  It is in this sense that we are asked to deny ourselves and take up the cross and follow Christ.  For He will give His life in following God, even if it means going to the Cross, for this is the exchange of His worldly life for God's plan of salvation for all -- for all people, and all time.  When we make choices between the true need of the soul for redemption and meaning, and a more worldly understanding of what our proper goals are, then we do something similar.  We do as He did, and as He asks.  For example, one may find what one thinks is an open pathway in life, a job or other opportunity.  But if in prayer we seem to be directed away from what looks in every respect like a great material choice, and we forego that seemingly obviously good choice for the place the word of God directs us and our souls, then we are making a redemptive exchange.  We are "handing over" that material reality to God and seeking to follow God's way, even when there is a conflict we might not quite understand.  This is something done in faith:  it gives us meaning, it asks us to make choices, it sets the world and our lives out as that which we return to God for God's purposes and meanings which are given to us, and create a true weight and value in the soul.  When Jesus tells Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!" it is not because Peter has deliberately chosen to advocate something which is obviously bad or evil.  But Peter's concern is a worldly perspective that conflicts with the life and choices the Father has commanded for Christ, and hence He says to Peter, "You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  Our own "fallenness" or "brokenness" is a kind of broken communion with God, in which our material lives might frequently be in conflict with the places God asks us to go, and choices God would ask us to make, if we but pay attention and emphasize that relationship with God that comes through prayer and worship.  Christ asks us for a deepening of that relationship, an exchange of a purely worldly perception which might seem perfectly reasonable and good, but for a deeper relationship in which God will guide us to meaning and direction which serves God's purposes and far grander goals than we could set for ourselves.  Let us note that this takes great faith and is not merely a question of following formal rules, but of true listening and prayer, and a deepening relationship with God, a commitment to faith and the work of God in us, which will change and transform the ways that we see things.  What sounds good on one level is frequently not the depth of good that God calls us to, but we can see and hear this only with the eyes and ears of faith, the perceptions of the heart that Christ calls us to.  It is a question of exchange:  what would we give up for our souls?  What meaning and depth can be preferable to that which God will give us, the deep place to which God calls us?  Many times it is the very things the world seems to approve of that we will find God asks us to turn down, just as Christ Himself was the ultimate example of scandal and scorn in order to follow God's purpose.  In making an exchange, we're asked to make a sacrifice -- but it is a sacrifice in order to receive something deeper, grander, of a far different and unknown substance than the merely worldly or material alone -- and that is something that nothing in this earth can buy for us but our own loyalty and faith to God.  Worldly fame and glory is very impressive, and so many chase after it and the approval of the world. But it takes courage to find the deeper understanding of real conviction, the often perplexing and hard to understand life of faith that pays out so much more albeit in ways not obviously seen or immediately present.  And that takes strength, the kind of strength He asks us to learn in following Him and the truth He gives.

 

He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me

 

 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword.  For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'  He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward.  And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.  And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

 

- Matthew 10:34-42 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus is speaking to the Twelve as He is sending them out on their first apostolic mission.  In yesterday's reading He taught, "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.  It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.  If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!  Therefore do not fear them.  For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?  And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven." 

 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword."  My study Bible comments that just before His most violent death on the Cross, Christ promised peace to His disciples.  But the existence of evil provides the necessity for spiritual warfare.  The earth to which Christ came was under the authority of Satan, called by Christ the "ruler of this world" and the "god of this age" by St. Paul (John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4).   Therefore, my study Bible says, it's essential that Christ wage war against the leader of vice with weapons of virtue (Ephesians 6:11-18).  It also notes that genuine peace is reconciliation to God through faith in Christ and surrender to truth.  Genuine peace has division as a byproduct because not everyone wants truth.  In a fallen world, divisions are necessary for truth to be manifest (see also Luke 12:51).

"For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'  He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."  My study Bible notes that this fulfills the prophecy of Micah 7:6.  It says that in addition to the literal meaning, which has been experienced in the Church since the time of Christ, the older generation being divided from the younger generation also symbolizes, first of all, the rejection of the new covenant by followers of the old covenant, and also the spiritual struggle between our old, sinful state and our renewal in Christ (Ephesians 4:20-24).  To carry one's cross, my study Bible explains, a true disciple must be ready, if necessary to sacrifice even family relationships. 

 

"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward.  And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.  And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."  My study Bible comments that apostles are ambassadors who represent the Lord.  Therefore, all who extend to help them are showing mercy directly to Christ and will receive God's reward (Matthew 25:40).  

 

 It's interesting that my study Bible comments on the apostles as ambassadors who represent the Lord.  When one thinks of an ambassador, from ancient times it was understood that an ambassador was a representation of the figurehead or monarch for whom that ambassador was working.  In other words, the ambassador for an emperor fully "embodied" the emperor.  Whatever harm might be done to the ambassador, for example, it is as if it were done to the figurehead and the country itself.  This still continues today in terms of modern political life of the world; an ambassador is more than a figurehead or messenger, but a stand-in for the country itself and its leadership.  An embassy is considered the territory of the country it represents, regardless of where it is located.  In this sense, the apostles bear Christ and the Kingdom into the world, and as Jesus uses the term "little ones" as well, one must consider that, in some sense, this is referring to all who bear the Kingdom within them and into the world.  Any time we take our discipleship seriously, we seek to bear Christ's image into the world in the same sense that an ambassador bears a country or its leader into the world.  It is in this way that "whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."  We also must correctly understand the concept of "name" here properly, and that concept is entirely related to the notion of ambassador or embassy as part and parcel of a country or a leader.  That is, not a symbol, but a presence.  Christ's name is the extension of His presence, His "house" in some sense.  So, when Jesus says, "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me," He is, in effect, speaking of His name, the extension of Himself and His presence, and through the name which is that of His Father who sent Him.  It stands to reason, therefore, to infer that the more deeply we bear Christ into the world, as His disciples, the more profoundly we may understand His words in this respect.  There, even within the context of these disciples being sent out on a great apostolic mission -- the first one! -- we are taught fundamental truths about the working of this Kingdom and how essential the practice of discipleship is to everything we do.  That is, the following of His commandments, in taking up our cross, for the ways in which we live our lives to Him (to lose one's life for His sake in order to find it), and together with the consciousness that we are all ambassadors.  That is, we must be aware that we all seek to be true to this Kingdom in bearing it into the world to others.  Let us be aware of the power in Christ's words, the reward that belongs to a prophet, to one who is righteous, and to even a "little one" in the name of a disciple.  For this is worthy of our lives and our dedication.

 

 

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

 

 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."  he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."

And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.  But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."

 

- Luke 9:18–27 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And he said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, say there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him.    And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provision; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

 

 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."  he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."  My study bible says that, as in every generation, what the crowds have to say about Jesus is usually unpredictable and misguided.  Who do you say that I am? is the ultimate question in Scripture and in all theology.  Whichever way that this question is answered will define the universe, my study bible tells us.  Christ (Messiah, in Hebrew) means "Anointed One."  The declaration of Peter that Jesus is the Christ of God reveals that Jesus isn't simply another anointed king or prophet.  He is, rather, the long-awaited Savior.  

And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."  Here my study bible comments that Jesus desires to keep His identity as the Christ hidden, in order to avoid the popular political and theological misunderstandings of His time.  Only after His Passion and Resurrection can His identity as Messiah be understood.  He is also preparing the disciples for the crisis they will undergo, and through which they will be transformed in faith.

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels."  My study bible asks us to note two things.  First, that each person must take up his own cross.  The burden in this world is different for each person, and each has been chosen by God to bear particular struggles for one's own salvation and the salvation of others around oneself.  Second, the cross is to be taken up daily.  The commitment to Christ isn't simply a one-time event.  He asks of us the continual practice of faith and obedience -- even to the point of being shameful and persecuted by the world.  

"But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."  My study bible says that this is a reference to those who will witness the Transfiguration (verses 28-36), as well as to those in each generation who experience the presence of God's kingdom.  

What is it to take up one's cross daily?  What is it to be transformed in that light of the Cross that asks us to give up who we are in order to become something or someone different?  How do we choose what to give up or sacrifice for the greater life in abundance that Christ promises to us?  Sometimes there are things which are quite dear to us which we need to let go of, to find the way that God is asking us to move forward.  It could be an issue about control, or seeking to prevent harm to someone or something dear, or any number of things we would call sacred to ourselves -- because we do hold them so dear.  But there are times when God will ask us to give control to God, to find where God is leading us.  It may be "control" itself we are asked to let go of, testing our faith, asking us to walk through a place unsure and unknown.  But like the disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee, we are sometimes asked to walk the unknown in faith -- times when we must let go of something and walk through uncertainty.  Each time this happens it's another refinement or honing of our faith, and the important thing is that even though we walk through a field of unknowing, we are capable of doing so without fear and while waiting upon God for the new next step, the new thing that replaces what we've let go or given up.  This is the time for prayer, for being comfortable in "not knowing" and waiting upon God.  It's the cross, our cross, and we need to be free enough to take it up.

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? 

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 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 great question:  "Who do you say that I am?"  It's the question that defines Christianity, and our relationship to Christ.  My study bible says that Peter's correct answer to this question  prevents the Christian faith from being seen as merely another philosophical system or path or spirituality, because it names Jesus as the one and only Son of  the living God.  This understanding doesn't come through human reason alone, but rather by divine revelation through faith (1 Corinthians 12:3).  Christ means "Anointed One," equivalent to  "Messiah."    My study bible draws our attention to the fact that Christ first draws out erroneous opinions about Himself.  This is a way to identify incorrect ideas.  When false teachings are clearly identified, a person is better prepared to avoid them.  It encourages us to understand the importance of identifying heresy, and understanding good theology based on the true identity of Christ.  We note also that it is not time for the disciples to teach others who Christ is; everything depends upon correct timing and unfolding of Jesus' ministry.

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."  Jesus' first "news" to the disciples after the revelation of His identity as Christ is that He will suffer.  He offers them the mystery of His Passion.  Popular expectations were the opposite, that in fact the Messiah would reign forever.  The idea that Christ would die was confounding to Peter and would remain scandalous even after the Resurrection (see 1 Corinthians 1:23).  Peter speaks unwittingly for Satan, as the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission, says my study bible, and save 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 speaks of the cross, a dreaded instrument of Roman punishment exceedingly cruel.  It's also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  Tradition teaches that Christians practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and gospel, says my study bible.  Accepting this suffering or sacrifice is not a punishment, nor an end in itself.  Rather it's a means of overcoming a cruel and fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom.  It is a sense in which the flesh is crucified with its passions and desires for the sake of deeper courage, purpose, and truth (Galatians 5:24).   Here is a key core of the Christian message, that in grasping for the temporal, we may lose the eternal.  But giving up everything in this world to God, we gain eternal riches which are unimaginable (1 Corinthians 2:9).  To save one's soul is to realize life as transcendent of what we know, a kind of eternal blessing of life itself.  To pursue the accumulation of worldly wealth, power, or attractions as one's primary goal is foolish.  This can't redeem a soul, nor benefit a person in the life to come.  Those who will see the kingdom of God present with power are those who will witness the Transfiguration (tomorrow's reading) and also those in every generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom. 

The paradox of Christianity has been a central key to the richness of its theology and understanding for 2,000 years.   Particularly for the early Church Fathers who developed the central core of theology and those of the early Councils of the Church, it was paradox that defined the true reality of their faith.  Christ or Messiah was supposed to be a kind of eternal king, one that would restore the fortunes of Israel and bless God's people with plenitude.  Instead, the shocking truth of the revelation of Christ's mission in the world is one of sacrifice and death -- and of course, Resurrection.  Not only that, but our Messiah asks of us to follow in His footsteps, to be like Him.  That is,  it is not the temporal things of the world that guide our faith, our courage, our lives, but rather it is our faith in Him that does so.  What that says to us sets up a great paradoxical perspective.  Just as Christ refuses all temptation to produce a miracle or sign as proof of His divinity, so we should expect in our own lives that outcomes may not always be in accord with our understanding, our desires, and particularly our human expectations.  How we are led through life, and through the course of our faith and its development, testing, and challenges, won't always be the path that we assume is best from our perspective.  Jesus speaks of a kind of exchange, where our perspective is met with another.  We are invited, through faith, to accept a place where our priorities and personal desires may not be considered part of a longer-term goal or even what is truly best for us.  The Cross presents us with this kind of exchange, and with a question:  which way are we going to choose?  Jesus, as Messiah, presents Himself as a suffering servant, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah (see Isaiah 53).  His sacrifice on the Cross turns selfishness upside down.  It teaches us what it is to be truly "great."  That is, He teaches that there is far more to what we are as human beings than appetites and worldly desires; rather we are capable of embracing a fullness of life and purpose beyond our imagining.  The Cross in some sense affirms the mystery of God's life for us as revealed in the book of Job, when God asks Job:  "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? . . .  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4,7).  We are asked to enter into a grander, deeper, far more profound reality of life than our own worldly perspectives.  This is the exchange, and the choice always comes to us as paradox.  It is the Cross that asks us which way we will follow.

If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it

 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."

And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.  But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."

- Luke 9:18-27

On Saturday, we read that Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.   Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him.  And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.
 
And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."  My study bible suggests that, "as in every generation, what the crowds have to say about Jesus is usually unpredictable and misguided."    It adds that "Who do you say that I am?" is the ultimate question both in Scripture and in all theology.  The answer to the question really defines the universe and its nature.  Christ (Messiah in the Hebrew) means "Anointed One."  Peter's declaration thereby reveals that Jesus isn't just another anointed King or prophet, but rather the long-awaited Savior.

And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."   Jesus wishes to keep His identity secret (that is, His identity as the Christ) so that He may avoid popular political and theological misunderstandings.  When He preached about "new wine" needing "new wineskins," it was an indication of the broadening out of faith concepts that comes with His ministry and mission.  It is He who must define this Himself.  My study bible tells us that it is only after His Passion and Resurrection that His identity as Messiah can be understood.  Despite the growing hostility of the religious leadership, Jesus calls all to faith through love -- not based on outward signs, nor "worldly" power of any kind.

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels."   My study bible suggests two things here:  First, each must take up his or her own cross.  This may mean a different sort of burden for each person, and each "has been chosen by God to bear certain struggles for his own salvation and the salvation of those around him."  Second, the cross is to be taken up daily.  This faith commitment isn't just a one-time event, but rather a continual practice of faith and obedience to Christ -- and this is before all things, even to the point of persecution and shaming by the world.  We're called to be like Him.

"But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."  My study bible tells us this is a reference to those who will witness the Transfiguration (which follows these verses), as well as to those in each generation who experience the presence of God's kingdom.

This is a turning point in Jesus' ministry, in the sense that now His identity as Christ is fully revealed -- at least as far as the Gospel is concerned.  Peter's confession of faith brings it out into the open and confirms all the "signs" we've seen, all the things Jesus has done as part of His public ministry and His teachings to the disciples.  Listening to a lecture by Fr. Thomas Hopko on the names of God in Christian tradition, I was struck by part of his lecture in which he noted that in the Jewish tradition, a name is given in response to what someone or something does.  For example, in the Old Testament, Adam gives the animals names based on his observation of them.  It reminds me of Jesus' teaching that "by their fruits you shall know them."  In this sense, doing becomes a key to identity, to being.  That's another important way we can look at Christ -- at Jesus.  We observe His ministry, we watch what He does, we listen to what He teaches, and all of these things have, all along, been clues to who He really is.  The thing is, if we come to Christ in love, then it becomes about how He's truly identified, and not by simply knowing a name.  We see His love, we observe what He does for others, we note His relationship of love to the Father, His loyalty to His disciples, His kindness and compassion, His deep feelings for His friends, and protection of His disciples -- and desire to do so even for those who reject Him.  All these things are clues to who He is.  They are the things that compel us to love Him and to want to know Him via a depth of relationship to Him.  In today's reading, He also immediately calls all of us -- truly all of us -- to be like Him, in ways that He predicts but haven't been fulfilled yet in the Gospel.  He tells Peter and all of the disciples that awful things are going to happen to Him at the hands of the religious leadership and that He will be killed.  But immediately His teaching goes to what we must do:  we must be like Him.  We must take up our cross daily.  We deny ourselves.  And, "whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels."  He lives out these words Himself, and there is so much more to come, so many trials and traumas, and so much faith that must be drawn upon, made strong, tested, and built up through experience.  All of this is to say that our very human Jesus is also the Christ, which we know not just because He says so, and not just because somebody thinks so, but because of what we know and what we see and what He does.  This extends into our own lives where His presence, and our dialogue via prayer, can play a great role in shaping how we know who Christ is.  We are able to enter into an intimate relationship, a true dialogue, and know what He does in our own lives.  Given all of this, we can think also about His call to us to take up our own crosses and to be like Him.  We can think about how whatever we do reflects who we are, and think about our choices in life.  This isn't an easy judgment of people.  There are plenty of things Jesus "does" that seem offensive, in particular to the religious authorities who will deem Him not only a sinner but a blasphemer.  This is not to say that we judge by appearances, which Christ Himself has spoken against.  Rather, it is a way to understand that "a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (see this reading from Luke 6).   We're to look to what we do, to what we say, how we affect others, what kindness we can practice, what hope and reconciliation we can bring, and -- perhaps most importantly -- how we handle averse situations.  We do "like" He did.  We turn to God and find our way, so that what we do or choose reflects this commitment, this faith.   In this sense, His teaching about losing our lives to save them takes on the condition of giving up our ideas of who we are or can be to Him, and bearing His likeness into the world.