In the Gospel of Matthew (16:21-27), Jesus reveals the true meaning of Messiahship and discipleship. He must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. He teaches His disciples that He is not a triumphant Messiah but a Suffering Servant. He is determined to do the will of the Father. He is willing to follow the way of the Cross because that is the way of love. His Cross is His total self giving love, giving all and loving to the end. He must go to Jerusalem because that is the site where prophets met their death. He does not seek suffering and death. He shows His determination, zeal, singlemindedness and passion to do what the Father’s will. He is radically obedient to the Father. He is consumed by the Father’s love and His heart is set on fire to save us. He is willing to give His life for our salvation. He is our sacrifice, ransom, atonement and reparation. The Cross is the supreme suffering but Jesus is the King of love who rules by serving. He said, “There is no greater love than this, laying down one’s life for his friends!” (John 15:13) Real glory and power come with self denial and service to others. The revelation of God’s power comes to its fulfillment on the mountain of calvary where God reveals His power in powerlessness, weakness and failure. The pride of man is undone by the humility of God. That is why, Jesus teaches His disciples that the true meaning of discipleship is to follow in His footsteps by denying oneself, taking up one’s cross and follow Him. Self denial is sacrificing one’s own interest in favor of serving Christ. It is dying to a life centered on materialistic goals. God’s purpose is not to deny us life but to give us fullness of life. Jesus is not anti-life but anti-preoccupation-with-our life. He wants the best for us. We live in a world filled with so much pain and suffering. Therefore, suffering cannot be taken out of the story of Jesus because it reveals God entering into our suffering more deeply by embracing and transforming it. We are called to enter into the mystery of the Cross through prayer, through our own suffering, through sharing the suffering of others and learning to truly love one another. Jesus is not calling us to a life of sacrifice and suffering but rather to a life of total freedom and love. The way of the Cross is the only way to fullness of life, to true freedom and to participate in the life of God.
THE WAY OF THE CROSS
