Beloved friends, today we are celebrating the twenty-fourth Sunday of ordinary time year b. We honor and celebrate Christ, the son of God, who humbly accepted the weakness of our human condition. He demonstrated his solidarity with us by generously renouncing himself and taking the cross. The readings of today remind us that following Jesus requires sacrifice. We may have to give up our desires and face difficulties. But by doing so, we find true life in Christ. We pray this Sunday that God may help us to listen to his voice. To give us the strength to live out our faith through our actions. May we take up our cross and find true life in Him.
Friends, who are the important people in our village, in our society, and the world? Who is spoken of with admiration? Aren’t they those who are successful, strong, powerful, those who always come out on top, those who excel in politics, sport, or trade? And what about all the others, the losers? They are looked at as failures. This is what we think today, but this is also what the Jewish people thought. Friends, God looks on and judges the lives of people in totally different ways; great for him makes himself small, and the winner is the one who allows himself to be defeated by love. People only see and look at appearance; teenage boys are mostly attracted by girls’ faces and shapes, by the striking colors of their dresses; they admire their hairdos and their elegance, but they do not look deep into the contents of their hearts.
Brothers and sisters, how can we correct this superficial way of Judging? How can we judge as God does? The first reading of today speaks about the suffering servant who listens to God and does his will. This shows us the importance of being attentive to God’s voice in our lives. We are called to be open and willing to hear what God has to say to us. Listening to God means being present and paying attention. It involves setting aside time for prayer and reflection. By doing this, we can better understand God’s will for us and how we should live and above all look at our brothers and sisters with the eyes of mercy. Friends, in our busy lives, it can be hard to find quiet moments. But making time to listen to God can bring peace and direction. Let us be still and attentive to God’s guidance.
Friends, our second reading is a challenge for each one of us to be practical with our faith. It presents us with the reality of what it means to be a true Christian. James reminds us that; “faith without good works is dead or useless.” Brothers and sisters, this means our actions must reflect our faith. Believing in God is important, but we also need to show our faith through our deeds. Helping others and living out our faith go hand in hand. When we help those in need, we show the love of God in action. Our faith becomes alive and active through our good works. Friends, this generous and charitable heart is a heart of faith in action. God needs our prayers, our sweet talks, and, most importantly, our faith expressed in concrete ways of life. This is what he needs most to achieve the next miracle for others. Christ proved his love for us by being practical. He prayed and also offered his own life for you. Practical Christianity means faith in action. It means sacrifice. It means sharing in the pain and joy of others. St. James is saying to you today show me your faith I will show you, my works.
Friends, today St. James calls us to examine our lives. Are our actions reflecting our faith? Are we living in a way that shows our commitment to God? These questions help us to align our lives with our beliefs.
Friends, brothers, and sisters, in today’s gospel, Jesus asks His disciples who they think He is. Peter responds, “You are the Messiah.” This moment is a turning point in the Gospel of Mark, leading towards Jesus’ suffering and death in Jerusalem. Beloved friends, following Jesus means accepting His path, even when it is difficult. Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow Him. This means we may face challenges and hardships as part of our faith journey. Jesus’s mission was to redeem humanity through his suffering and death. However, Peter did not understand this. Although he was right in professing that Jesus was the Messiah, it was difficult for him to understand how Jesus could offer himself to be killed for the salvation of all.
Friends, Peter knew who Jesus was, but he was not ready to accept the reality that faced Him. He wants the crown but denies the cross that must come before it. Like Peter, most times, we do not want to face the realities of our lives. Especially moments that put our faith to the test. Rather than, we want to deny them. We only want to hear that there will be no difficulties in life. Brothers and sisters, the discussion on the person of Jesus continues even today. Nobody denies his greatness and many even say that He is the greatest man ever to live on earth. But is this belief enough for a Christian? What is the difference between a disciple and an admirer of Christ? The apostles were strictly ordered not to speak of Jesus because, though they said the right thing, they were very confused as to his real identity. Friends, are we sure that we know what it means to be a disciple of Jesus? What we say about Christ might be as poorly informed as what the apostles did and Jesus might perhaps advise us to be silent until we are more enlightened.
Friends, practical Christianity means faith in action. It means accepting to carry one’s cross humbly and patiently while relying on the same grace that helped Christ the son of the living God. It is by taking his cross and dying on it that Christ demonstrated his love and generosity for us. So, he wants us to do the same. Practical faith helps us to understand and live the mystery of the cross. Faith without action is dead. Put another way; an un-demonstrated faith is of no value. The Lord be with you …. May the almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
