Scripture Scribbles: September 15, 2024
the Gospel
Mark 8:27-35
Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that I am?"
They said in reply,
"John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets."
And he asked them,
"But who do you say that I am?"
Peter said to him in reply,
"You are the Christ."
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
"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."
the scribble
Today’s Gospel has a lot to unpack. What struck me the most in prayer while on a silent retreat at St. Joseph’s Abbey, is how difficult it is to truly pick up our crosses - the ones we don’t want to pick up.
I believe when I want to save my life, I only want to pick up the crosses that convenience me or are by my choice.
What about the unwanted ones - the miscarriage, the cancer, the unexpected c-section, the death of a loved one, a child with disabilities, the lost job, the addicted loved one, the addicted self, the postpartum anxiety, the depression, the violence nearby, the endless battle to guide our children in faith and virtue within a contradictory world?
We lose ourselves in these crosses, yet this is where deeper conversion is invited.
We hit rock bottom barreling through life on our self-reliance, alone and exhausted.
Then Truth hits us like a spear to the heart: I can’t carry this cross without You, Lord.
Our utter dependence on Him is revealed and we have nowhere else to turn but to Him, begging to be healed and to carry this cross with patience no matter how long the road.
With the gift of patience, we receive Hope. Hope in eternal life. Hope in reconciliation. Hope in Love. Hope in Mercy.
When we make it to Calvary with our crosses, He suffers with us and promises us eternity, saving us from ourselves.
In order to follow Him, we must embrace these unwanted crosses; however, we never have to bear them alone…because He already did.
Today’s devotion was written by Diana Giard
