+ [Luke 9:22-25] Today we hear some of the more difficult words of Sacred Scripture. Jesus, telling his disciples that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders and killed, could only have confused and brought fear into the minds and hearts of his followers. Knowing what was to happen to him and the glory of the resurrection, we are less threated but no less challenged by these words as his disciples.
They lead right into what follows, that if we want to be truly his disciples, we too, must carry our cross daily and not go looking for subtle ways of saving our lives rather than losing them for his sake. I know that I can all too easily try to distract myself from those things that deep down, I know God is asking of me, or avoid the daily dying that enables me to fully live for him who has so deeply loved me.
May this Eucharist allow us to be so deeply touched by what we celebrate here at this altar that we too may lay down our lives for one another, experience even now the joy that Christ has promised us.