Homily

The Gospel we have heard this Sunday catches us in a moment when the majority of us enjoy a period of rest, a rest truly useful, if not necessary, in order to be able to again take up with greater vigour ordinary life. Jesus, on the other hand, began a decisive hour that required a new and clear direction: “From that moment Jesus began to manifest to the disciples that he must go to Jerusalem,” Matthew writes. It is the first announcement of the passion, of his defeat to the point of death, even though he also announces his resurrection. But the disciples, as often happens, choose among the master’s words those that they want to hear. Peter takes courage and rebukes the master. He is certainly sincere, but sincerity is not enough, just as a good conscience is not enough. Love, like the Lord’s, goes well beyond. It is a radical and total love. But Peter doesn’t understand it. The words of the Lord are true for the apostles too: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways” (Is 55:8). It is neither natural nor spontaneous to follow the Lord Jesus; openness of heart and mind to his words, to his life, to his sentiments is required.
But Jesus could not abandon his path, and while he was speaking with Peter, he turned around, Matthew writes. He did not look Peter in the eye, as he would look at him the night of the betrayal; instead, he turned his back on him, almost as if to make visible his distance from him, and he rebuked him, “Go away from me, Satan! You are a scandal to me.” Moreover, at the beginning of Jesus’ public life, in the desert, Satan had the same intention as Peter: to take Jesus away from his path of obedience to the Father. Yet this is the path of the disciples - the only one, without alternatives. Jesus openly tells everyone, “If anyone wants to come behind me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” They are words that sound hard to our ears, but they are the only ones that can free us from the prison of our traditions, our habits, and our laziness. But these words of the Lord are not an exhortation to sacrifice and to suffering. They are understandable only from within the following of Jesus, of our passion for him. As the prophet Jeremiah writes, “You have seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced; you forced me and have prevailed.” Seduction is at the root of the words Jesus directs to the disciples.
Whoever is seduced goes out of him/herself to pour him/herself out on the beloved, to live for him, work for him, think of him. For love, sacrifices are made to the point of the implausible. This is following the Gospel. If we take a look at our faith, we should recognize how often it is bland, weak, and insipid. This is why it does not bring us joy, and because of its poor appearance, it cannot be attractive to those who don’t believe. And yet here is the path to salvation. It is a very different way from that of the world, where each one tries to save himself at any cost without any concern for others. Therefore Jesus insists, “Whoever wants to save his/her own life will lose it.” Yes, all those who want to save themselves by themselves, will be lost. They will not taste the joy of friendship and brotherhood and sisterhood. They may even gain the entire world, but they will be dissatisfied. Happiness lies not in having, but in being men and women who renew their own hearts and own minds by listening to the Gospel. How do we lose our soul? By becoming slaves to ourselves and to things, submitting ourselves to thirst for gain and to the vortex of consumption. How many times do we sacrifice our days and our future upon these altars of vanity without being able to taste life, thus actually sacrificing life itself? This is why we should attentively listen to what Paul reminds us of: “Do not conform to the mentality of this age, but transform yourselves by renewing your mind in order to be able to discern God’s will, what is good, pleasing to him and perfect.” Many of us will in a few days again take up the normal rhythm of life. The Gospel words are certainly demanding, they contain the whole of Jesus’ ambition to seduce us so that we can fully taste his life and his love. Our days will be different, because they will be full of love.