Gospel Reflection 2019/2020

22^ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

30 Aug 2020

[Matthew 16: 21-27]

Peter, the chief apostle, died for his faith in Jesus Christ. Tradition has it that Peter was crucified on an upside-down cross. Since the beginning of Christianity, many in the early Church were also martyred for Christ and for the Christian faith. Just five years ago, the Islamic State terrorists posted a video headlined, “a message signed with blood to the nation of the Cross.” In the video recording, 21 Coptic Christians were beheaded because they would not renounce their faith in Jesus Christ – their last words were, “O, my Lord Jesus.”

Up till this very day, Christianity is the still the most persecuted religion in the world: in the secular West, in the Holy Land, in the Middle East, in China, in Hong Kong, in South East Asia, and even in our own home country. Some Christians shed their blood and give up their lives; others suffer persecution, marginalization, ridicule and mockery, unjust treatment, forced conversion, harassment and imprisonment, and even planned and systematic expulsion.

At the individual level, we as ordinary Christians also struggle to live out of our Christian faith:

1) A hospitality minister continues to love and serve despite being harassed and intimidated by rude and rowdy parishioners every single week.

2) A catechist sacrifices his or her time every Sunday for the sake of the Gospel.

3) A young engineer is marginalized because he refuses to take part in the office political game.

4) A single mother is desperately trying to earn money to support her family every day. No matter how exhausted and overwhelmed she is, she has to juggle between work and family.

5) A young man clings onto Jesus Christ despite being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer.

Those who ridicule us say, “Where is your God?” [Ps 42: 3] Yes, where is God in the midst of all these? What is the point of being Christian, a follower of Christ? Why the pain and suffering? And in our distress, we call out helplessly to the Lord, “Master, do you not care that we are perishing?” [Mk 4: 38]

In the Gospel reading this Sunday, Jesus tells us that, “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Our Lord and Master has not promised us a bed of roses, but He has promised that He will not forsake us: “I am with you always; yes, until the end of time.” [Mt 28:20]

Yes, the trials, tribulations and turbulence we have been going through, as individuals and as Church, is the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. To many, the Cross is a sign of stupidity, shame, suffering and sacrifice. To those who believe, the Cross of Jesus Christ is the sign of love, life, light and liberation.

Our God is not a sadist. Our God does not delight in our pain and suffering. In fact, our Lord and Master Jesus Christ Himself has paved the way for us, setting a perfect example for us to follow. Jesus knows and understands because He has been through the worst of it. The Cross of Jesus Christ is redemptive and transformative. Without the pain and suffering of the Cross, there is no glory of the Resurrection. If we do not die with Him, we cannot rise with Him. Through the Cross, we are saved. Through the Cross, we rise, we grow and we mature – we become stronger, wiser, humbler and holier.

St Paul [1 Co 1: 17-25] assures us that:

“The language of the Cross

may be illogical to those who are not on the way to salvation,

but to those of us who are on the way (to salvation) see it as God’s power to save.

Here we are preaching a crucified Christ;

to the Jews an obstacle…

to the pagans madness…

to those who have been called, a Christ who is the power and wisdom of God…”

Let our fervent prayer be:

“Lord Jesus Christ, may we always glory in Your Cross!”