August 30, 2026 - 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples something that is difficult to hear: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” These words remind us that being a disciple of Jesus is not simply about believing in Him; it is about allowing Him to shape the way we live.

The First Reading gives us a beautiful example of someone who struggles with the cost of following God. The prophet Jeremiah openly expresses his frustration. He has faithfully proclaimed God’s message, yet his ministry has brought him suffering, rejection, and ridicule. Jeremiah even admits that he would like to stop speaking in God’s name. But then he discovers that God’s Word is like a fire burning within him: he cannot simply walk away. Even when the mission is difficult, God’s call remains stronger than his discouragement. Jeremiah’s experience helps us understand what Jesus means when He speaks about taking up our cross. Faith does not promise that following God will always be easy. There are moments when we may become tired, discouraged, or even wonder whether our efforts are making a difference. Yet God does not abandon us in those moments. His grace sustains us and gives us the strength to remain faithful.

Peter also struggles with this teaching. Just moments earlier, he had professed his faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Yet when Jesus begins to speak about His coming suffering and death, Peter cannot accept it. He wants a Messiah who will conquer through power, not through the Cross. Jesus responds firmly because He knows that Peter must learn an important lesson: God’s ways are not always our ways.

The Cross stands at the center of our Christian faith. To take up our cross does not mean that we should seek suffering or pretend that our difficulties do not hurt. Rather, it means remaining faithful to Christ even when following Him requires sacrifice. It means choosing forgiveness when it would be easier to hold a grudge, serving others when we would rather think only of ourselves, remaining faithful when we are discouraged, and trusting God when we do not understand what He is doing. The world often tells us that happiness comes from avoiding every difficulty and seeking comfort above all else. Jesus offers us something deeper. He tells us that true life is found when we give ourselves in love: “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” The paradox of the Gospel is that when we stop living only for ourselves, we discover the joy and freedom that God desires for us.

Saint Paul expresses this in the Second Reading: “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” Our Christian vocation is lived not only in church but in the ordinary circumstances of every day—in our homes, our families, our workplaces, our relationships, and in the ways we respond to those who need our help.

As we continue our journey of faith, let us ask the Lord for the courage of Jeremiah, who continued to proclaim God’s Word despite his struggles; and for the faith of Peter, who gradually learned that the way of Christ is the way of the Cross. May we too have the courage to take up our crosses with faith and hope, trusting that the Cross is never the end of the story. Beyond the Cross is the Resurrection. May the Lord give us the grace to remain faithful when the journey is difficult, to take up our cross each day, and to follow Christ with generous and trusting hearts.

God bless everyone always!!!

Fr. Stan