Jesus makes it very clear in today’s Gospel that he is interested in true followers rather than fair weather fans. And he seems to cut to the chase with his statements describing the demands of discipleship. In a way, Jesus is asking, “How far in are you?”
To become a follower of Jesus means reordering our lives so that knowing and serving Christ becomes the ultimate desire and purpose of all we do. On paper this sounds lovely but living it out in the day to day can be very difficult.
The people Jesus encounters in today’s Gospel, attached to their comforts, their families and the expectations others have of them, are challenged to ask themselves whether or not they can place their relationship with Jesus and his Gospel message ahead of all their other relationships.
We are invited into the same question. Is Christ, and living his Gospel, our greatest love?
—Mona Snider is a spiritual director, instructor and mentor at the Ignatian Spirituality Center of Kansas City in Missouri. Mona and her husband, Bruce, live in the Kansas City area and are the parents of Ben, Sophie and Grace.
Prayer of Confession and Commitment
Merciful God,
You call us to follow,
to turn away from our own selfish interests,
and to take up our cross and follow after You,
even if the path is difficult to see,
or is heading in a direction we would never have chosen for ourselves.
Forgive us for being so quick to question
and so hesitant to follow.
Help us to see with the eyes of faith,
rather than from our own human point of view.
Teach us to follow without fear,
knowing that You are always with us,
leading the way.
Amen.
—Based on Matthew 16: 21-28, published on the re:Worship site
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Ignatian spirituality reminds us that God pursues us in the routines of our home and work life, and in the hopes and fears of life's challenges. The founder of the Jesuits, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, created the Spiritual Exercises to deepen our relationship with Christ and to move our contemplation into service. May this prayer site anchor your day and strengthen your resolve to remember what truly matters.
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