Gospels explained by Jesus - Gospel messages, gospels explanation |
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Matthew 16:21-27
Year A -
22nd Sunday in ordinary time
If anyone wants to be a follower of mine
When I revealed to the apostles that I was going to undergo great suffering and then be put death, they were all dejected, they suffered in silence without really understanding what it meant.
Just a while before, I had told Peter that he was the rock on which I would found my Church. He was very enthusiastic about the role he was going to play, he was thinking of all the human power and glory that could be derived from that, he got carried away in his thoughts. My revelation upset him very much since he could not conceived that a man of my power and holiness could be destined to suffer and die the way I had predicted. He took me aside trying to find an alternate solution to the situation. I said to Peter: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." I am the man of suffering depicted by Isaiah in chapter 53, I am the sacrificial lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. It was by my suffering and death that I overcame sin, death and the devil. It is also by my wounds that you are healed, therefore it was necessary the Son of God suffered great torment to pay for the debt incurred by the sins of the whole world. After my suffering there came the victory of my resurrection, by which you will obtain faith in me to be able to take up my cross, deny yourselves and follow me. To be a true follower of mine, you must deny yourself. By this you must live a life that conforms to my word, you must live for heaven while you exist in the world, you must reject all those attractive pleasures that can ruin your soul, you must keep away from danger and resist temptation by drawing wisdom from my teachings. You must carry the cross daily which means that you must accept my will, there will be things that you want which you don’t need, there will be things you need which you don’t want, only God knows what is best for you. The Divine Will will be manifested in your daily life, if you don’t resist the cross you will actually enjoy the journey to your heavenly home. You must follow me with your cross, the road is narrow and steep and you are bound to suffer and fall on the way to Calvary. You must undergo the martyrdom of dying to yourself in order to be borne again for me only. You must crucify all your passions and your sinfulness; you must crucify yourself to me in order to be separated from the evil of the world. It is only then, that by losing your life you will find it, by walking your way with me you will arrive to your destination, and by following me through your journey you will glorify my Heavenly Father and me.
Received by: Joseph
of Jesus and Mary
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21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
