Throughout the Gospels Jesus is drawn to the outcasts -- to the poor and the marginalized. We see him time and time again reaching out to the leper and the unclean; to people that he should have avoided but instead he embraced. It is precisely in his embracing of the “suffering ones” that I believe Jesus’ identity shines forth.
In today’s Gospel Jesus asks the disciples “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter correctly responds: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” To which Jesus responds by telling Simon he is blessed because this has been revealed to him by the Father in heaven.
And he gives Simon a new name -- Peter, meaning rock -- and proclaims that he will build his church upon this rock and hell itself will not prevail against it. And then he sternly warns the disciples not to tell anyone that he is the Messiah.
And in the following passages, Jesus then goes on to tell them that even though he is the Messiah, he is going to suffer greatly, be rejected by the religious leaders and ultimately be killed! He tells them that anyone who wishes to follow him must deny themselves and pick up their cross and follow him and whoever loses their life for him and for the sake of the Gospel will save their life! Jesus is letting them all know that they too are going to be beaten, stripped and spit upon just like he will be as he will make his way to Golgotha.
Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and to the cross was a journey of embracing all of those who suffer under the weight of their crosses -- crosses placed upon them by human traffickers, by inhumane and unjust immigration policies. It was an embracing of those who bear the weight of the crosses of systemic racism, bigotry and misogyny and social marginalization.
He is the Son of the God, the one of whom Isaiah spoke of, who walked with the weak and vulnerable. Just as he embraced those whom others recoiled from or found unworthy or “out of place,” we, as his followers, we are called to embrace them and welcome them too, just as Jesus did.
In the midst of a nation in such chaos, and so deeply divided, we are called to be voices of unity, and speaking out in support of those who are marginalized and threatened because of the color of their skin or their nationality or their gender or sexual orientation.
We are called to be voices of welcome to all those who are being turned away and chased down like they are less than human and cruelly deported to foreign countries where they know no one and have little or no chance of establishing a meaningful life. We are called to be voices of welcome to the thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who are so
desperately looking for a new life, a new home in our country.
We are called to carry the cross of all of those who lost their lives in ongoing military attacks and in the ever-growing number of wars…and for the families and loved ones left behind whose lives are forever wounded and scarred.
All the afore-mentioned women, men and children are the crucified whose crosses, like Simon of Cyrene, we may help to
carry even if for just for a few steps on the long and sorrowful journey of their shattered lives.
And in the carrying of their crosses, we may come to know them just a little better and come to see Christ present in
them, in the midst of their sorrow and suffering.
As I wrestle with Jesus’ question…who do you say I am?…whose cross might I help carry? Who might I let help carry my
hidden cross?
Blessings,
Fr. Tim
In today’s Gospel Jesus asks the disciples “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter correctly responds: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” To which Jesus responds by telling Simon he is blessed because this has been revealed to him by the Father in heaven.
And he gives Simon a new name -- Peter, meaning rock -- and proclaims that he will build his church upon this rock and hell itself will not prevail against it. And then he sternly warns the disciples not to tell anyone that he is the Messiah.
And in the following passages, Jesus then goes on to tell them that even though he is the Messiah, he is going to suffer greatly, be rejected by the religious leaders and ultimately be killed! He tells them that anyone who wishes to follow him must deny themselves and pick up their cross and follow him and whoever loses their life for him and for the sake of the Gospel will save their life! Jesus is letting them all know that they too are going to be beaten, stripped and spit upon just like he will be as he will make his way to Golgotha.
Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and to the cross was a journey of embracing all of those who suffer under the weight of their crosses -- crosses placed upon them by human traffickers, by inhumane and unjust immigration policies. It was an embracing of those who bear the weight of the crosses of systemic racism, bigotry and misogyny and social marginalization.
He is the Son of the God, the one of whom Isaiah spoke of, who walked with the weak and vulnerable. Just as he embraced those whom others recoiled from or found unworthy or “out of place,” we, as his followers, we are called to embrace them and welcome them too, just as Jesus did.
In the midst of a nation in such chaos, and so deeply divided, we are called to be voices of unity, and speaking out in support of those who are marginalized and threatened because of the color of their skin or their nationality or their gender or sexual orientation.
We are called to be voices of welcome to all those who are being turned away and chased down like they are less than human and cruelly deported to foreign countries where they know no one and have little or no chance of establishing a meaningful life. We are called to be voices of welcome to the thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who are so
desperately looking for a new life, a new home in our country.
We are called to carry the cross of all of those who lost their lives in ongoing military attacks and in the ever-growing number of wars…and for the families and loved ones left behind whose lives are forever wounded and scarred.
All the afore-mentioned women, men and children are the crucified whose crosses, like Simon of Cyrene, we may help to
carry even if for just for a few steps on the long and sorrowful journey of their shattered lives.
And in the carrying of their crosses, we may come to know them just a little better and come to see Christ present in
them, in the midst of their sorrow and suffering.
As I wrestle with Jesus’ question…who do you say I am?…whose cross might I help carry? Who might I let help carry my
hidden cross?
Blessings,
Fr. Tim
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