Imagine how different our world would be if Paul’s advice to Romans, was followed by every Christian. “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Peter was conforming himself to the mindset of his times so far as what a Messiah was expected to be, namely a military hero, much like King David, who would liberate his native land from the oppressive Romans. When Jesus predicts his pending death for the first time, Peter protested, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you!”
Undoubtedly, he was startled by Jesus’ harsh reprimand. Jesus uses some of the strongest language found in the gospel, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Jesus wasn’t saying Peter was an evil person, but he was saying Peter was doing the work of Satan, tempting Jesus to abandon his mission. Jesus knew the history of God’s people better than Peter and he knew what happened to prophets whose mission had been to preach God’s word, such as Jeremiah whom we heard in the first reading.
Peter reasoned things out the way people of the world would reason, not as God does. Jesus criticizes Peter for failing to understand God’s plan. Like Jeremiah, Jesus delivers an unsettling message. Peter’s angry reaction mirrors that of Jeremiah’s community, which refused to recognize the impending destruction of Judah. His anger also mirrors how even Christians today are resistant to facing reality.
How many of you would agree with this line? “Times have changed, Father. I’m only doing what is perfectly acceptable in our society.” The problem with this worldly logic is that what is perfectly acceptable in our society is not necessarily acceptable to God, who, for example, does not condone immoral behavior that many find to be “perfectly acceptable in our society.”
Such a society finds nothing wrong with hedonism, that is, putting one’s self-indulgence before every other good in life, including respect for others, respect for one’s country, and respect for all life. That so-called “perfect society” is the world of selfishness, a world of pride, a world where God is not wanted or his will is ignored.
In such a society, people want to hear only positive agreeable messages, even when difficult issues need to be addressed and remedied. Paul advises us to be informed thinkers, especially when dealing with critical moral issues.
Jesus cautions, “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.”
A seminary classmate of mine, Mitch Rozanski, was recently installed as the new archbishop of St. Louis. In his homily he said, “Covid-19 is not the only urgent cross facing us today. As a nation and indeed as a Church—we find ourselves still struggling with the scars of systemic racism in our society. This crime against human life and dignity is another no less devastating virus, this one a man-made plague that also isolates us from one another and diminishes the God-given humanity that we must all cherish if we are to be his children.” Archbishop Rozanski then observed, “Our civil discourse these days is not very civil; when a person shares a differing opinion, the tendency to demonize the other, often in deeply personal ways, eclipses any type of dialogue, common ground, or understanding. As Catholics, we need to ask, ‘Where is God in all of this?’”
When we surrender our lives to the author of life, we can break free of the ego-driven trivia and fear that consume so many of our days. As Jeremiah and Jesus demonstrate, the will of God is not always an easy path, which is why many choose to avoid it.
What is God’s will? Do we even consider that question whenever we personally make a moral decision or value judgment? By whose standards do we make our daily choices or react to the prophetic messages we hear that challenge us to deepen our relationship with Jesus Christ? Do we give ourselves time and space to sufficiently pray to become better aware of God’s standards and will?
This is my understanding of Jesus’ invitation when he told his disciples to take up the cross and follow him. He is not demanding a particular lifestyle. He is not requiring us to retreat from the world or take on a monastic lifestyle. He is simply calling us to follow him by living his way of loving others and accepting the human life that comes to us. With the cross, we are God’s holy people, stepping out in faith to follow Christ by resisting the devil. With the cross, we venture forth to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, soothe the suffering, carrying out the many corporal works of mercy. With the cross, we have the divine mandate to speak out against injustice and oppression whenever and wherever we know that to exist. With the cross, we dare to lose our life for the sake of the kingdom and with the cross, we find our real lives, the lives for which God created us, the lives we have been led to embrace since birth: lives of love and service to God and one another.