June
19, 2016
12th
Sunday in OT: Father’s day
Zechariah
12:10-11; 13:1; Galatians 3:26-29; Luke 9:18-24
I remember this
story about a father who came home from church and immediately looked for his
wife. When he saw her at the kitchen, he suddenly lifted her and carried her
around. The wife was surprised and said, “Honey, why did you do that? Did the
priest in Church tell you to be romantic?” The husband replied: “No honey. The
priest actually told me to carry my cross!”
Today is Father’s
day. We all know that our parents, especially fathers who usually act as the
breadwinner of the family, carry the cross – the burden, the responsibility of
providing the needs of the family. Let us express our gratitude to them on this
special day by giving them a round of applause.
In today’s gospel,
Jesus tells his disciples: “If anyone wishes to come after me, he/she must deny himself,
take up his/her cross and follow me.” This invitation of Jesus has been the
subject of many misinterpretations. Christianity has often been criticized as a
religion of self-hate. How can we better understand this invitation of Jesus?
What does it mean to deny oneself, take up one’s cross and follow Jesus?
Let
us reflect on this in three points:
SELF
DENIAL IS NOT A DENIAL OF WHO WE ARE BUT OF WHO WE HAVE BECOME. This
how Fr Cantalamessa beautifully describes self denial –
that it is not simply a denial of who we are but a denial of who we have
become.” This
tells us that in the beginning of time, when God created us, we are originally
good. We are originally beautiful. But with the misuse of our freedom, selfishness
and sin, what was originally good and beautiful has become bad and ugly. When
Jesus tells us to deny ourselves, he is like telling each of us: “What has
become of you now? What has become of your original goodness and beauty?”
Jesus’ call to self-denial is therefore not self-hate. It is rather an invitation
to return to the original goodness of our nature. Nobody can erase that
goodness in us. Our sins can only blur and make it ugly. But we can always make
it beautiful again when we practice self denial. Acts of self denial always involve
taking up one’s cross, to undergo suffering. What does it mean to take up one’s
cross?
TAKING
UP ONE’S CROSS IS NOT SIMPLY SENSELESS SUFFERING BUT SUFFERING IN THE NAME OF
LOVE. Jesus refers here to a suffering can be a source of blessing. This is
what the first reading tells us: Zechariah prophesied that someone will suffer
and die. But at the same time, this suffering will be source of grace and
blessing to others. Zechariah here refers to the suffering of Jesus. Does this
mean that Jesus takes delight in suffering? No. It is rather because of Jesus’
love for us that He is willing to do anything, even if it includes carrying
one’s cross. He was not just a victim of suffering. Jesus faced suffering with
love. He willingly gave his life out of love for us. It is precisely because of
this element of love that suffering becomes a source of grace and blessing to others.
In our day to day life, taking up one’s cross may mean the sacrifice of parents
to take care and provide the needs of the family; taking care of a paralyzed,
bedridden or sick family member. Sacrifices like these are not easy to do. It
will always involve suffering. But when suffering is faced with love, it can be
a source of life and blessing to others.
TO
FOLLOW JESUS IS TO EMBRACE HIS WAY OF LOVING. When
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” Peter was right in telling
them that He is the Messiah. But Jesus reveals to them what kind of messiah He
is. Peter and the other disciples were hoping for a messiah who will conquer
evil and injustice though military might and violence. But Jesus needs to
clarify that He is a type of messiah who will conquer the world not through
violence but through love. Love can reverse evil and injustice in society. We
overcome evil not by another
evil but by goodness – by love. But take note this is not easy. When Jesus once said “love your enemies” how
can you love someone who has hurt you so much? This is actually a heavy cross –
to love someone who offended you. But this is a mark of a follower of Jesus –
overcoming evil not by another evil but by goodness, by love.
In this mass,
let us pray for the grace to be a true follower of Jesus by having the courage
to deny oneself, take up our crosses in the name of love and overcome evil not
by force and violence but by love. Amen.
