Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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These are some of the most famous words ever spoken by Jesus: “Take up your cross and follow me.”
But what’s that mysterious cross he’s referring to?
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That clumsy, awkward, often hard to carry cross called life.
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We might re-interpret Jesus’ words, then, “Take up your life and follow me.”
For example, many of us carry the weight of children, marriage, or a difficult job. Others suffer from an illness, care for an aging spouse, or have bills piling up.
Meanwhile, we’re all trying our best to advance in the spiritual life, fending off temptation and growing in virtue.
We don’t have to add any extra weight to our shoulders. We simply can’t shrug it off.
That’s the cross.
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Whatever God has given us to do today, may we do it all – and without complaint.
Then we can say we’ve taken up our life and followed Jesus.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Less than a month ago, people around the globe tuned into the 2022 Winter Olympics. Some of the greatest athletes the world has ever known walked into the Olympic Stadium to the tune of their national anthems, carrying their flags with pride.
For years, these athletes dreamed of glory. And for a select few, they found it. Those countless hours of training, highly specialized diets, and nights without sleep were for something: a golden medal fastened around their neck with a ribbon.
Olympic athletes remind us that competition is written into the human spirit. We all desire glory – and these athletes trained for it.
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Two weeks ago, the Olympics came to a quiet close as the world moved on, turning its attention to what became the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Suddenly, those athletes – and the records they held – faded unceremoniously into the annals of history.
Their hard work will soon be forgotten. For many, it already has been.
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Herein lies the wisdom of Ash Wednesday.
That ugly black smudge of ash smeared onto our foreheads reminds us that time is passing, that history will swallow all of us up, that death – my death – is coming, and I know neither the day nor the hour.
And not only me; everything and everyone will eventually return to dust:
…this church we are praying in…the people I have loved… these clothes I’m wearing… these hands that wrote this homily… those prestigious gold medals earned at the Olympics…even those tanks belligerently crossing borders…
Everything and everyone is returning to dust.
What, then, are these ashes telling us? Should we seek earthly glory – or worldly power – while we’re able, like so many who’ve gone before us? Or is there a wiser path to take?
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Saint Paul tells us, “These athletes train for a perishable crown; but we for an imperishable one.” As Christians, we train for the greatest crown of all: the crown of eternal life.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us how to win that crown: pray, fast, and do penance.
When we pray, we strengthen our relationship with our Father in heaven, the God who created us out of love, the one who knit us together in our mother’s womb, the One who will make us rise again.
Simultaneously, prayer deepens our communion with our brothers and sisters around the world who are reaching out to the same God, praying for peace, hope, and security.
When we fast, we remind ourselves that our deepest hunger is neither for bread, nor power, nor gold, but for God.
When we perform acts of penance, we’re reminded of our own weakness and our need Christ’s healing touch.
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Christianity is the most demanding path of all, for the only way up is down; if we are to rise with Jesus, then first we must die with him. That begins by walking the path of humility, self-denial, and love.
And it continues by admitting that we are dust, and to dust we shall return.
But thanks be to God that is not the end of our story. The day will come when we shall be called by name, and we will walk together across that heavenly stage, proclaiming the words of Saint Paul:
“I havecompeted well; I have finished the race. I have kept the faith…All that awaits me now is the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me … and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.”
May we compete well – and encourage one another along the way, because, unlike war, Christianity is not a zero-sum game; everyone wins.
And the reward could not be greater.
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Image credits: (1) Beijing Winter Olympics, The Open University (2) High Mountain Church (3) Pinterest
Peter began to say to Jesus, “We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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“Master, we have given up everything and followed you.”
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On the surface, Peter’s right.
Unlike the rich young man, whom we encountered in yesterday’s Gospel, Peter and the others have left their boats, their homes, and even their families, in order to follow Jesus.
That’s a huge sacrifice.
But the Christian journey – yours and mine – comes at more than a physical cost; we also must part with things we carry in our heart.
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For example, Peter and the others are still journeying with their pride.
Just a few verses prior, Jesus catches them arguing over who is the greatest. They’re interested in titles and seats of honor, not suffering or persecution.
Although they’ve left everything behind physically, they’re still a work in progress.
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What about me? What am I carrying in my heart that I need to let go of?
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Perhaps this can be our focus for Lent: leaving behind what no longer serves us, freeing us to follow Jesus more faithfully.
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Image credits: (1) First Church of Christ (2) United Faith Church Blog and Devotions (3) Salem United Methodist Church
