Introit

 

Kyrie

 

Gloria

 

Collect

Look upon us, O God,
Creator and ruler of all things,
and, that we may feel the working of your mercy,
grant that we may serve you with all our heart.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading Is 50:5-9a

The servant of the Lord said: 5 “The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. 6 I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. 7 “The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 8 he who vindicates me is near. “Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. 9 It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty?”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 116:1-2,3-4,5-6,8-9

R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

 

Second Reading Jas 2:14-18

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15 If brothers or sisters are without clothing and lack daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.

Alleluia Gal 6:14

 

Gospel Mk 8:27-35

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 Jesus asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. 31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” 34 Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”

Catena Nova

What does it mean to take up one’s cross? Bearing every annoyance patiently. That is following Christ. True, many fears and afflictions confront us in this world; but if we follow Christ, we shall reach a place of perfect happiness, perfect peace, and everlasting freedom from fear….Endure injuries, do not be overcome by them (Caesarius of Arles).

Let us then learn from the Cross of Jesus our proper way of living. Should I say ‘living’ or, instead, ‘dying’? Rather, both living and dying. Dying to the world, living for God. Dying to vices and living by the virtues. Dying to the flesh but living in the spirit. Thus in the Cross of Christ, there is death and in the Cross of Christ, there is life. The death of death is there and the life of life. The death of sins is there and the life of the virtues. The death of the flesh is there and the life of the spirit.… It was fitting, that we, who had fallen because of a tree, might rise up because of a tree (St. Aelred of Rievaulx).

Jesus has many who love His Kingdom in Heaven, but few who bear His Cross (Luke 14:27). He has many who desire comfort, but few who desire suffering. He finds many to share His feast, but few His fasting. All desire to rejoice with Him, but few are willing to suffer for His sake. Many follow Jesus to the Breaking of Bread, but few to the drinking of the Cup of His Passion. Many admire His miracles, but few follow Him in the humiliation of His Cross. Many love Jesus as long as no hardship touches them. Many praise and bless Him, as long as they are receiving any comfort from Him. But if Jesus withdraw Himself, they fall to complaining and utter dejection. They who love Jesus for His own sake, and not for the sake of comfort for themselves, bless Him in every trial and anguish of heart, no less than in the greatest joy. And were He never willing to bestow comfort on them, they would still always praise Him and give Him thanks. Oh, how powerful is the pure love of Jesus, free from all self-interest and self-love! (Thomas À Kempis)

When we cross ourselves, let it be with a real sign of the cross. Instead of a small cramped gesture that gives no notion of its meaning, let us make a large unhurried sign, from forehead to breast, from shoulder to shoulder, consciously feeling how it includes the whole of us, our thoughts, our attitudes, our body and soul, every part of us at once, how it consecrates and sanctifies us.  (Romano Guardini)

It is to the Cross that the Christian is challenged to follow his Master: no path of redemption can make a detour around it (Hans Urs von Balthasar).

Homily

            “Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny himself, sit in the electric chair, and follow me.”  “Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny herself, enter the gas chamber, and follow me.”  Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny himself, hang from a noose, and follow me.”  “Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny herself, be lethally injected, and follow me.”

            No, this is not a homily on the death penalty.  I’ve updated Jesus’ words in the hope they might shock you in much the same way they stunned Peter, making him take Jesus aside and begin to rebuke him (cf. G).  In fact, the  word “cross” has lost much of its shock value, its power to offend us.  We’re so used to seeing a beautifully-carved cross carried in procession, or worn around our necks in silver and gold, or waved in blessing, that its gripping horror no longer affects us as it did Peter, well-acquainted with the torture and shame the cross represented.

            Which is not to say the cross can’t provoke contemporary Christians to a Peter-like reaction.  This was brought home to me at a meeting I once attended for Catholic preachers.  We were having a group discussion about how to handle controversial topics when all of a sudden a woman, whose patience ran out, rose to announce, in the words of St. Paul, “I preach Christ crucified. (1 Cor. 1:23)  And that’s all I think we should do as Christian preachers.”

            Well!  You’d think she spoke the most offensive blasphemy possible.  “What do you mean, preach Christ crucified?--came the reaction from the group.  That’s been the problem with Catholic preaching for centuries: it’s been too negative, too focused on pain and suffering, too much about the cross and not enough about the resurrection!”

            Now I admit her intervention bothered me too.  But the more I listened to these preachers crucify this woman, the more I thought of another passage from Paul, where he complained about those who conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. (Phil. 3:18)

            So you see, that little word “cross” can still stir up a hornet’s nest, just like it did the first time it entered the Christian vocabulary; and Jesus, looking at his disciples, spoke to Peter the harshest words he ever used: Get behind me, Satan.  You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do (G).

            What then shall we make of the cross?  One thing’s for sure: we don’t want to make our faith a somber affair, nor Isaiah’s vision the program of Christian life: I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting (I).  I don’t know about you, but beating and plucking, and buffeting and spitting, aren’t my idea of good news.  And yet, the prophet says he’s speaking to the weary a word that will rouse them (I).

            So we ask the question, “What in the cross can rouse the weary?”  Maybe it has something to do with that business about “saving one’s life.”  There’s something which could rouse a weary person; something that sounds like good news.  After all, who doesn’t want to “save” his or her life?  Who among those poor people on 9/11 whose anniversary was this week would not have given everything they had to save their life?

            Isn’t everything we do an effort to save ourselves from loss of one sort or another?  Whether that be loss of health or income, of home or possessions, of family or friends, reputation or social standing.  These are the things which make up our lives; without them we’d be lost.  And they’re the things, should you ever wonder about yourselves -- Who do people say that I am? (G) – they might well refer to in response.

            And yet, like Jesus when he asked that very question, you too might judge such a response inadequate.  You might think you’re more than those things; that you’re someone others might not even suspect -- someone who might even shock a few people should they learn who you really are; someone who might prefer that those who do have an idea about who you really  are not speak of it to anyone else.

            Which brings us back to the cross.  For if we ever did let go of the person others think we are, or think we should be, and let the self we keep hidden emerge, so the whole truth about us be known, without any care if others object, then we will have lost our life in order to find it (cf. G).  Then we will have taken up our cross, and followed Christ.

            Such a moment of truth could indeed rouse the weary; those tired of human ways of judging; tired of being only who people say they are, rather than who God says they are, who God calls them to be.

            Which led Jesus to [suffer] greatly, and [be rejected] by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and. . .killed (cf. G).  So he might rise after three days (G).  To the life he shares with all who bear a cross of integrity and truth.  Who lives and reigns, forever and ever.  Amen.

Intercessions (Joe Milner; The Sunday Website)

For the Church: that our profession of Jesus as the Christ may be manifest through laying down our lives in service for others and in allowing God to raise us to life.

For the grace to deny our very selves: that we may surrender our plans and ambitions to God, embrace our responsibilities for today, and follow Christ each day.

For greater fidelity: that when we feel confused or inadequate in our life, we may trust God to show us the way that will lead to life.

For all who suffer for the sake of the Gospel: that God will strengthen suffering Christians, help them to be faithful witnesses, and fill their hearts with peace.

For the poor in our midst: that we may neither ignore them nor rationalize away their suffering but extend our hearts and hands to assist them.

For all who spend their lives serving others: that God will guide emergency personnel each day, give strength to all who care for the sick, and inspire many young people to join them in serving others.

For peace: that God will turn hearts from violence and revenge, protect the innocent from harm and bring forth a new season of justice and peace.

Make us one, O God, in acknowledging Jesus the Christ. As we proclaim him by our words, let us follow him in our works; give us strength to take up the cross and courage to lose our lives for his sake. We ask this through the same Christ our Lord. Amen (ICEL; 1998).

Offertory Chant

 

 Offertory Hymn

 

Come follow me, said Christ the Lord,

All in my way abiding;

Your selfishness throw overboard,

Obey my call and guiding.

Oh, bear your crosses and confide

In my example a your guide.

I am the Light, I light the way,

A godly life displaying;

I help you walk as in the day,

I keep your feet from straying.

I am the Way, and well I show

How you should journey here below.

Then let us follow Christ the Lord,

And take the cross appointed,

And, firmly clinging to his word,

In suffering be undaunted,

For those who bear the battle’s strain

The crown of heav’nly life obtain.

Communion Chant

 

 Closing Hymn (John Michael Talbot)

Take up your cross
and follow the way,
the way of Jesus Christ;
His yoke is easy,
His burden light:
Our resurrection song.

Whoever seeks to follow Me
must deny his very self,
take up his own cross every day
and follow in My steps.

What can you show,
who gain the world
when you lose your soul instead?
Be not ashamed of the Son of Man
and he’ll raise you from the dead.