Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) These are the words of Jesus to his disciples that open our gospel reading for today. Although we’ve likely heard these words many times in our lives as Christians, I found it helpful to look at the passage just prior to this one in order to get the full context.
These words and those that follow, including, “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (vs 25) come on the heels of Jesus rebuking Peter for wanting to prevent the kind of death that Jesus was beginning to tell them he would suffer. I can say I don’t blame Peter for declaring, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” And yet, Matthew tells us that Jesus heard this as a temptation to turn from what he knew he must endure, exclaiming to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” (vs 23b)
It is in this context that we read today’s opening verses with Jesus instructing his disciples that whoever wishes to follow him must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Jesus.
And what does it mean to deny ourselves? The New American Bible (revised edition) commentary tells us that “to deny oneself is to disown oneself as the center of one’s existence.”
As much as we might not like it, we are not the center of the universe or even the center of our own existence. However, the Christian paradox is that in denying ourselves, in losing our life (for Jesus’ sake) we find it! We find the life, the love, the fullness we have been seeking all along. As today’s communion antiphon also reminds us, “whoever comes to me will not hunger and whoever believes in me will not thirst.” (John 6:35b)
O Lord, give us the strength and courage to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow you, whatever the cost may be – this day, this week, this year, for the rest of our lives – trusting only in your goodness. Amen.
—Eileen Miller