Gospel: Luke 9:22-25

 

Yesterday we entered into the season of Lent. Up until now the daily Liturgy followed the Gospel of Mark. Beginning yesterday until Easter, the sequence of the readings will be dictated by the ancient tradition of Lent and of preparation for Easter. 

 

From the very first day, the perspective is that of the Passion, Death and Resurrection and of the meaning which this mystery has for our life. This is what is proposed in the today’s Gospel. The text speaks of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus and affirms that the following of Jesus presupposes that we carry our cross.

 

The first announcement of the Passion. Jesus begins to teach that He is the Messiah, the Servant and affirms that, as Messiah, the Servant announced by Isaiah, soon He will be put to death in the carrying out of His mission of justice. 

 

Jesus draws conclusions valid even until now: “If anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross… and follow Me.” To take up the cross and to carry it following Jesus was the same as accepting to be marginalized by the unjust system which legitimized injustices. It was the same as to break away from the system. As St. Paul says in the letter to the Galatians, “The world has been crucified for Me and I to the world” (Gal 6:14). The Cross is the consequence of the commitment freely assumed by Jesus. Because of the Gospel, He was persecuted and He was not afraid to deliver His own life. There is no greater proof of love than to give one’s life for one’s brother or sister.