Cross of Christ

Today’s Gospel Text: Now it happened that as he was praying alone the disciples were with him; and he asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?" 19 And they answered, "John the Baptist; but others say, Eli'jah; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen." 20 And he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of God." 21 But he charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." Luke 9:18-22

Reflection: “But he charged and commanded them to tell this to no one.” (vs.21) Jesus asks them after  they have answered then instructs them strictly to tell no one about him.

What is this big idea of asking his disciples to tell no one when he himself has asked them?

I can only think about the greatest information Jesus himself may be having about himself, namely that of his impending death: "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." (vs.22)

If that is so then everything else can wait, every kind of knowledge about himself can wait, even if it is the best knowledge about himself. At the same time no knowledge about himself, no matter how good and fantastic it may be, is not worth its salt, unless it is salted by the fire of the cross.

Did St. Paul mean the same, when he said: “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”1 Cor 1:21-24

Whatever good we may do in life and even the most marvelous works in his name but if our work is not salted by the fire of the cross of Christ and the love of it then we are useless and our work a rubble.

The dedicated disciples of Jesus, must have picked up the value of the message of the cross much later than his resurrection, some of them as they went along proclaiming Christ Jesus.

Nevertheless they were all salted at some point or the other as they went along and this added power to their ministry which still shines forth in the Church down till this age.

Prayer: Lord, as I meditate on your cross, may I grow in loving you and your great sacrifice celebrated at every Eucharist.

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