Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me

In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus says “Whoever who wishes to come after me must deny

himself, take up his cross and follow me”. This poses a great challenge, especially for us Christians since it is a clear reminder from Christ himself how the cross is essentially part of or lives as faithful and followers of the Lord.

You may ask, but what is the cross really all about?

Well, we may define the cross in so many different ways. During the time of Jesus, it is the greatest persecution; the instrument for the capital punishment of death for a criminal. It is like the silya elektrika during that time. And so it is not surprising that still, even Christians attributes the meaning of the cross to what is painful, or what causes death. You may consider it as poverty, a burden like sickness, a tragedy, or sorrow. It is far away from our own idea of what is pleasing, something that we dare not to have or experience, and yet here comes Christ asking us to take up our cross and follow Him! You may also ask, is Christ being sadistic here or what? Or simply ask why, what for?

Let us remember that Christ Jesus himself was not spared from the cross himself. He carried the cross’ burden even if He does not deserve it. He carried the cross in silence, uncomplaining, embracing it even- for the sake of our salvation. And so Christ gave a new meaning to the cross. More than poverty, pain, sorrow and death, it means denying of oneself for the sake of someone you love. It means becoming selfless, to lose one’s life for other’s sake. And so we can say that the cross can actually be our own selves, when we are being too selfish, pre-occupied with our own concerns, when what we only care about is me, myself and I. When we choose ourselves, than God, we become our own heavy cross, which burdens us and preventing us to follow Christ.

And so today, Christ challenges us to do the same: to give our very selves to others and to love big time; yes, to love even the unlovable. But of course, Christ is very realistic about it, it is not easy. Remember the when He was in Gethsemane; He himself showed some hesitation. But in the end, He willingly accepted it as the will of His Father. Today, we look up to the cross not a symbol of persecution like what it is really meant to be, but a symbol of Christ’s love and salvation, of Him giving up His life so that we may live. . It takes a lot of courage and great love for one to just what Christ did, and so we ask for the same grace of courage and great love so that we may be able to take up our own cross and follow him

So are you ready to take up your cross?

How to Know God's Will?

Q: When could we actually know that God is talking to us? What could be the possible signs? How can we know God's plan[will] for us? - Lucky D.

Lucky,
This is such a tough question, but reading this article sure is enlightening, so im sharing this here. I hope this will help answer your questions. - TJ
***
As Christians we are called to do God’s will. But how do we know what God wants us to do? Does he want me to go to pursue graduate studies or embark on an alternative career like teaching? Does he want me to date now or wait? Am I cut out for religious life or married life? How do we know what God’s will is? Do we just pray, and he’ll tell us? I doubt anyone of us has heard the audible voice of God. How does he tell us what to do?
When called to make a decision, many pray and ask for a sign. The problem with this is that we set the conditions for the sign. If what we want is something we so much desire, we may ask for an easy sign. And if what is to be decided is something tough - like deciding on my vocation - I may ask for an equally tough sign.

Some ask for God’s guidance but do not really try to discern what God has to tell him through the daily events in his life. Some of us just do not know how to read the signposts along the way. Hence, we sometimes end up missing the point of our lives.

So how do know God’s will and not just try to feel it (like Existentialists?)

There are Five principles in determining God’s Will.

#1. Scripture
God guides us through daily meditation of scriptures. When we pray with Scriptures, God’s word somehow comes across us in a very personal way. His words are situated in our very own context. Hence, his message, although universal, is at the same time particularized in my very own context. Meditation on the daily gospel and going to the Eucharist daily are great venues through which God can share with us His thoughts and desires in a very personal way.

#2. Godly Wisdom
Wisdom is “Knowledge Righteously Applied.” You can have all the Bible Knowledge possible, and decide not to use it. Satan knows the Bible better than you do, but he obviously does not follow its teaching. You have to take God’s word and apply it in your life.

With wisdom, you also will be able to determine what to do when faced with two Biblical options. Should I go to college or go to Africa and be a missionary? Wisdom will be able to take the knowledge of the Bible and apply it to your life situation.

#3. Godly Counsel (Teaching, Training and Equipping)
God did not create us to be alone. He created us in fellowship with one another. He set up the family so that the parents can teach, train and equip the children how to worship and serve God. He placed the pastor and the elders to do the same in the church. He gave us other brothers and sisters to teach us how to live more Biblically. He gave us the body of believers. Godly Counsel can help us know God’s will more.

#4. Open Doors
If God wants you to go in a certain direction he will open doors for you. Or he will close certain doors. But be wary, Satan can open doors too. You must use Godly Wisdom, Godly Counsel and the Bible to determine who opened that door.

#5. Peace of Heart
This principle is last and purposely so. If you are where God wants you to be, no matter how stressful it might be, you will have an inner peace about it. But, be warned, too many Christians use this as the only determiner of God’s will. If you only use this, you are basically only doing what you feel, and what gives you peace. This is not the peace that God gives. It’s a wrongful peace that we get in doing what we want. This peace is false and can last for a long time, but it will eventually fade.

Some might think that this process of determining God’s will is too much like a check list and takes faith out of the picture. But God is the one who gave us the Bible, he is the one who tell us to pray and ask for wisdom, he is the one who gave us parents, the church to teach us what to do and how to live and he is the one who give us the possibility of peace. He gave us all these things to grow our faith. Having greater faith is not knowing less so that you can have more to believe in. But greater faith is knowing the source of that faith even more.

To Discern God’s Will better you must Know God more. So go out and study your Bible, ask for wisdom, seek learning from parents, church and other believers. Know God more and you will better know what his will for you.

Weyms Sanchez, SJ @ 8/06/2006 09:45:00
Reprinted from heswitakami.blogspot.com

Jesus Walks on Water

10 August 2008. 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 14, 22-33 Faith: Jesus Walks on Water

It seems that the contemporary world of today is in dire need of security, which brings us anxiety and restlessness within. We are constantly anxious of what the future holds, so that most of you may agree and most self-help gurus will tell us: plan and take charge of your life!

The night Pope John Paul II was elected as new pope; his first words were “Do not be afraid”. In his book Crossing the Threshold of Hope, the Pope said that Christ sensed and in fact had known that we are anxious people. That we are afraid, so that He kept addressing this invitation many times in the gospels, when he said “Courage! It is I; don’t be afraid.”

Today once again we have heard how his disciples were terrified themselves perhaps because of the wind that was against them, and found consolation only when they recognized Christ and heard His words “Do not be afraid”. You may ask, of what should we not be afraid? The pope answered that we should not fear the truth about ourselves: our own sinfulness and unworthiness. This is what Peter discovered himself when Christ called him so that he said to Jesus, “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man” And Christ answered him the same words, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men”. He knows our anxiety about our own selves and still He comes and continuously invites us to take courage, “Do not be afraid!”

Today we too are invited to take courage and trust in His words of consolation. When we are being tossed and buffeted by the harsh winds in life. When we feel lacking of security. When we do not recognize Him working in our lives, let us take comfort in His words, “Do not be afraid!”

Father we thank you for your words of consolation and invitation for us to take courage! Teach us to trust you and be not afraid to open up and respond generously to your loving will.