Sometimes when people say the phrase, "Pick up your cross" I think what they are really saying is, "Stop our whining and just deal with it." This, of course, makes me a little self righteous and defensive, and honestly, when we merely throw quotes like this out at each other, they might indeed get lost in translation. In Today's gospel, however Jesus' teaching is clear, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." The children's game "Follow The Leader" comes to mind where the leader walks around doing various actions and the followers imitate the leader in a single file line behind them. Yes, Jesus IS saying do what I do, say what I say, be like me, watch, imitate, become.
- Watch: We need to observe Christ in the gospels and in the world. The only way to imitate Him is to know what He does and says and scripture is the best study guide we have for that.
- Imitate: We have to do a significant amount of watching in order to start imitating. Imitating is not "faking it." Imitate literally means to follow an example (like the children's game). When we have watched Him enough, we will know how to act and speak like Him.
- Become: Soon we will become that which we imitate. When you study, you learn to apply the knowledge, when you apply the knowledge you become an expert, and experts teach others how to become.
- For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
- But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
- What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?
- Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
Jesus desires that we not only live but that we live life fully. As I was writing this reflection, it occurred to me that while Jesus agony, passion, and death were horrifying and unjust and brutal, it only lasted less than 24 hours of his entire life. I'm not trying to diminish Jesus' passion and death in any way, however, I think that a lot of times when we think about taking up our crosses we have this idea that everyday will be a crucifixion and that is just too overwhelming. But, when we watch, imitate, and become we see that Christ's life was one filled with joy, community, friendships, parties, story telling, transfiguration, love, and lots of other goodness. Meditating on this helps me wrap my brain around the cross and while it is terrible suffering, it is for just a short while.
Today, let's play a fun game. Jesus is at the front of the line and he begins with the classic airplane wings and we all follow along flying through the air. Now try to picture what Jesus' next five moves will be and follow along just like the airplane. I'm sure each of us will come up with five different things and Jesus' example will multiply into all of our worlds one move at a time. Watch | Imitate| Become.
Gospel MT 16:24-28
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
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