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August 31, 2014Human experience teaches us that most things of importance and value require sacrifice, commitment and perseverance. Married couples could tell us, for example, that the deeper kind of love they long for cannot come without fidelity, hard work and a commitment that is unconditional and life-long. Parents know that the joy of having a child becomes a deeper kind of joy after their years of sacrifice for their child(ren) produce a young man or young woman well prepared to enter adulthood with their values in place and able to become productive members of society. Students know that good grades and a productive future depend on their commitment to paying attention in class, studying hard and doing their homework. Football players come to know quickly that you can?t just walk on the field and score touchdowns. They have to commit to conditioning, team discipline and plain hard work if they want to perform at their best.
Answering God?s call and experiencing the life he promises also involves sacrifice and sometimes hardship. In this weekend?s scriptures we hear of two prominent biblical figures who came to know this personally, namely Jeremiah and Peter.
Jeremiah was called at an early age to be a prophet. Though somewhat reluctant when first called, he accepted the call when God said he would put his words in his mouth and be with him (Jeremiah 1). However, in a passage read for our Masses this weekend from Jeremiah 19, we find the prophet angry and in despair at the hardship and opposition he has faced in being faithful to God?s call. He says to God: ?You duped me Lord, and I let myself be duped.? He is ready to quit. However, Jeremiah comes to realize that worse than the struggle to do God?s will would be NOT doing God?s will. He chooses to be faithful. God?s passionate love for him and his passionate love for God is stronger than the temptation to quit.
Peter faces a similar dilemma. In last week?s Gospel he boldly declares to Jesus: ?You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. ?He is ready and willingly to follow Jesus on the path to glory. However, in today?s Gospel, Jesus makes clear that he will suffer and die in pursuit of His Father?s will. Peter tries to dissuade Jesus from going to Jerusalem knowing that if Jesus must suffer and die, so also will those who follow him have to suffer and bear a cross. Jesus chastises Peter and makes clear that ultimate life with him entails embracing the cross.
Again, human experience reveals that most things of importance and value require commitment and sacrifice. Should we expect anything different when it comes to following Christ? And even more, should we not trust the one who calls us to follow him as, in time, did Peter and Jeremiah? God loves us more than we could ever know, and He only leads us on a path that is life giving. Sacrifice in the service of a love and life that comes from God will always prove worth it in the long run. Trust the one who calls you to follow Him on the path to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Fr. John Klein, Pastor