Isaiah 50.5-9/ Psalm 116.1+2+3+4,5+6a+7b,8ab+9/ James 2.14-18/ Mark 8.27-35
Last Sunday, we already have talked about our calling to “act on our faith”. This specific calling comes from a broader calling about imitating Jesus our Lord in His justice and care for the poor and the sick. We are further encouraged to do so (to imitate Jesus and understand deeper His Heart) with the understanding that these people are often left behind while each one of us are busy in our self-serving activities and jobs, In today`s readings, this point of our reflection is being given more emphasis with somehow stronger words that will drive us to make it sure to substantiate the faith we already have.
While Jesus encourages His disciples to fully accept Him as their Messiah, He reminds that following Him truly, entails sacrifice. Jesus makes both these encouragement and challenge to His disciples by saying that “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” These words of Jesus are precisely what each and every one of us too in this modern time is truly being challenged every day to be able to live a better Christian life. So most of us if not all, may tend to ask our own selves as to what extent will “I” be able to carry on with a sacrifice demanded by following Jesus, our Lord. Oftentimes, not just tempted to, we set various kind of limitations as to what extent we will sacrifice our energy and time for example in “faith-ing” (having a faith) demonstrated by/through works/actions. Setting a certain limit most likely comes from each one`s natural desire/inclination towards self-preservation in terms of worldly affairs.
At least we can get one important point from our first reading today from the book of prophet Isaiah. God will always be on our side and will never put us in disgrace and will surely protect us from adversities. There is no reason to be discouraged because in the first place, we are proclaiming not our own selves but Jesus and His message of love/generosity. Let us take these words as another beautiful words of encouragement to embrace the value of sacrifice necessary in Christian living.
May we not see the value of sacrifice as an outdated and old-fashioned act of living in this modern time. Being able to live the value of sacrifice necessary in our faith-life makes our faith more meaningful.
Let us reflect further about an action-driven faith being emphasized in the epistle/letter of James (second reading today). No matter how huge the volume of sacrifice needed is, let us be courageous enough to fully realize a Faith that is well demonstrated in actions.