No Glory without the Cross

Gospel – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I – A Mysterious Logic

The fact that God introduced man into the paradise of delights after his creation, as described in Genesis (cf. Gn 2:8), opens up at first sight a panorama of happiness that is both earthly and supernatural, idyllic from every standpoint. Adam and Eve, completely innocent, enjoyed a marvellous garden where harmony reigned, with absolute and immediate dominion over nature and, above all, frequent visits from the Heavenly Father (cf. Gn 3:8). However, this idea of a little Heaven on earth is suddenly and unexpectedly dispelled when we read the story of the temptation of the first woman and her irrational fall, in which she dragged her husband along without any resistance. And the realization of the consequences of original sin for the entire human race leads us to lament, as the most tragic fate, the situation into which Eve’s degraded children fell.

Eve preferred a comfortable and optimistic position in the face of the trial, and ended up abusing her free will and sliding down the slope of sin

But there seems to be something missing to explain this debacle. How could the first two human creatures, born from the hands of the Father of Lights himself, have fallen into such an appalling abyss? We are undoubtedly facing a mystery: “Delicta quis intellegit?” (Ps 19:12). We must take into account an indispensable element in creation, which goes a long way towards explaining this drama: it is the trial. Yes, God created us for Heaven, but in His lordship, He demands of us the precept of fidelity, obedience and love. Made in the image and likeness of the Creator and capable of choosing good and rejecting evil on our own, the trial was the only way we could exercise our freedom in an upright manner, choosing God above other things and thereby showing Him our love. And it was because Eve forgot this fundamental and arduous aspect of life, preferring a comfortable and optimistic position, not without a sense of self-sufficiency, that she ended up abusing her free will and sliding down the slope of sin.

Loving acceptance of suffering: the origin of all good

God, who showed himself to be such a friend, by coming down in the afternoon breeze to talk to Adam, also showed himself to be a Lord worthy of being feared and obeyed by forbidding the first couple to eat from the tree that was in the centre of Paradise (cf. Gn 2:16-17). It was the diminished respect for the absolute supremacy of the Creator and the neglect of the duty to be faithful to Him in the trial that introduced evil to the face of the earth.

Crucifix in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, Cotia (Brazil)

For this reason, the Redeemer and the Co-redemptrix had to walk the opposite path to that of our first parents, being submissive to the utmost extreme of sorrow. The Epistle to the Hebrews says it this way: “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered” (Heb 5:8). And thanks to this holocaust, “He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Heb 5:9). In this way, His incomparable example sealed forever the principle that sacrifice accepted with love is the source of all good, and it is the only way to glory. This is the true logic of creation, misunderstood by Eve, but accepted with full openness of soul by Mary Most Holy, who made herself a suffering slave in union with the Divine Victim and thus truly associated herself with the Sacrifice of Calvary. In light of this logic which is eminently sapiential, but enigmatic for those who are groping their way along the paths of faith, this Sunday’s Gospel becomes easier to understand, particularly Jesus’ revelation to His disciples about His Passion and Death, as well as the harsh rebuke He meted out to Peter.

II – The Only Way to the Kingdom of Heaven

The example given by the Saviour and His Holy Mother established forever that sacrifice accepted with love is the source of all good, and it is the only way to glory

Set at the end of St. Mark’s chapter 8, the Gospel for this 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time is preceded by the narration of various miracles, such as the second multiplication of the loaves (cf. Mk 8:1-9) and the healing of a blind man near Bethsaida (cf. Mk 8:22-26), during which time Jesus is surrounded by the Pharisees, who ask Him in vain for a sign (cf. Mk 8:11-12). He then moves away from the crowd and sets off, accompanied by His disciples, towards Caesarea Philippi, a rocky area where He begins the conversations on which we will reflect in this commentary. Once these are over, He ascends Mount Tabor and the Transfiguration takes place. In the passage we are presently analysing, the Divine Master wishes, after having attracted the crowds with dazzling success, to have a more peaceful moment in which to form His disciples with a view to the future glorification of Golgotha. His path, contrary to what one might think, was one of humiliation and obedience until death, and death on a Cross. And His followers needed to have this in mind. Peter’s reaction, however, shows how much they did not expect this outcome for the life of the Saviour, whom they considered a successful and extremely popular leader, due to His thaumaturgical powers.

Alone with the Master

Jesus’ overwhelming public presence was of the utmost importance in making His disciples aware of His person and mission. In this sense, the several months they spent with Him in intense apostolic activity served as a real seminar for them.

“Lamentation over Christ”, by Fra Angelico - San Marco Museum, Florence (Italy)

Nevertheless, the time had come for them to spend time with the Master alone, away from the noise of the crowds who came in search of miracles. A little solitude was essential if they were to raise their hearts to higher heights. It was then that Our Lord asked them the question contained in this verse.

The distorted outlook of the Jewish people

Despite the preparation carried out by St. John the Baptist, Israel was unable to contemplate the divinity of Jesus; therefore, when they saw Him act and speak, they attributed to Him the identity of certain ancient prophets, as if He were simply a revival of the past. This distorted vision was due to the weight of centuries of infidelity on the part of the chosen people. And the Apostles, who lived in this environment and knew people’s opinions about the Master, related them to Him accurately. Bur were they personally influenced by the criteria of their contemporaries? To a certain extent, yes, as we shall see. However, they saw something more.

Set apart from the world

The Apostles discerned in Our Lord the true Light that had come to the world, but they were horrified by the dark shadow of trial that He showed them

The Apostles needed to realize that they had been set apart from the society in which they lived. They were in the midst of it, but they were not to be confounded with it, because, by inspiration of the Heavenly Father, they discerned in Our Lord the true Light that had come into the world. This visualization of Jesus was characteristic of them. Today, too, it is a challenge to believe in the divinity of the Saviour. In an age submerged in the darkness of apostasy to the very extremes of prevarication, the courage to keep the faith and live in coherence with it separates us from the world. However, far from feeling afraid or insecure, we must proclaim our Catholic convictions with intelligence and boldness, so as to attract souls who can be saved and combat the enemies of truth, goodness and beauty.

The Apostles gathered in the Cenacle - Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, Obersteigen (France)

O mais duro castigo

The Apostles, called to proclaim the Christian message “from the rooftops” in the future (Mt 10:27), were now forbidden to speak to the people about their supernatural vision of the Messiah. Jesus would remain a mystery to the Israelites, because this is what they had deserved. This is the harshest penalty that can be imposed on someone: to remain in the dark about the truth.

The prospect of the trial

Suffering, rejection and death: the spectre of the trial loomed over the Apostles. Christ must take upon himself the sins of men, to rescue them from the devil’s clutches and restore to them their freedom as God’s children.

The prediction of what is unpleasant, what is arduous and what goes against personal criteria repels the creature who imagines himself independent and deserving of ease and comfort

How difficult it is to accept this prospect! However, being willing to face adversity for the love of truth and goodness is at the heart of our existence on earth. In the eyes of faith, it is an honour to be able to fight for God in the struggle against the evil that is in and around us. But for the worldly, who prefer an easy and pleasurable life, this visualization causes annoyance, incomprehension and, ultimately, revolt.

St. Peter - Cathedral of Amiens (France)

One detail is worth emphasizing. After death comes victory! Jesus announces that three days after being delivered into the hands of His adversaries, He will rise triumphant. For great evils, great remedies. If it was necessary for the Word to die crucified, giving us an example of true love and obedience, the good Father in Heaven had in store for Him the most splendid glorification. This part of His prophetic statement, however, will go unnoticed by His listeners, as can be seen from the following verse.

The “leaven of Eve”

Of a spontaneous nature, St. Peter acted according to the impulses of his mentality marked by the “leaven of Eve”, that is, by the rejection of this fundamental aspect of the human condition which is the trial. And any other man who was not touched by the grace of the Cross would act the same. In fact, the prediction of what is unpleasant, what is arduous, what goes against personal criteria is repulsive to the creature who considers himself to be independent and deserving of ease and comfort. Let us ask God for the ineffable gift of loving Him to the point of overcoming our selfishness and passing every trial well, for this is how our existence in this world must unfold: alternating sorrows and joys until the blessed day when, having won the last battle, we see the gates of Heaven open to welcome us into eternal happiness, amidst the jubilant hymns of Angels and saints.

Rock of the Church or Satan?

Shortly before, in St. Matthew’s version, the Lord had established Simon as the fundamental rock of the Church, and now He expels him far from himself, calling him Satan! Two extremes spanned in a few moments… How can we understand this?

Only those who persevere to the end in this hard struggle of earthly life, willing to bring out the best in themselves, will truly win the honours of Paradise

The history of the Papacy itself seems to give us the key to interpretation. When the Pontiffs are true followers of Our Lord Jesus Christ, they are ready to face the most terrible adversaries and even shed their blood for the Church with admirable valour. When, however, they try to win the admiration of the world, they become capable of the worst betrayals, making themselves worthy of the atrocious rebuke inflicted on Peter. The judgement of the Popes will therefore be implacable: before God, they will either be a rock or Satan. There will be no middle ground. We will be judged in a similar way. If we, attracted by the comforts of a mediocre existence, flee from the cross and build a pleasurable life in pact with the maxims of perdition propagated by the world, we will also hear from the Lord’s lips the condemnatory sentence: “Get behind Me, Satan.” But if we want to conquer Paradise, we must keep the faith of the Prince of the Apostles in order to be living stones of the Church in the midst of the storm.

There is only one way

Let no one be deceived: there is no legitimate plan for life apart from loving the cross and renouncing our selfishness. Any other proposal will be misleading and will end in eternal failure. Far be it from us! Instead, we must seek to lose everything for Our Lord, in order to meet Him in eternity. Then He will give himself to us, filling us with unsurpassable joy.

“Crucifixion”, by Niccolò di Pietro Gerini - Church of St. Felicity, Florence (Italy)

III – A Crown Reserved for the Violent

On an occasion subsequent to the scene narrated in this Sunday’s extraordinary Gospel, Our Lord Jesus Christ declares that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the violent (cf. Mt 11:12). Who are these? They are those willing to bring out the best in themselves during trials in order to pay tribute to God by their fidelity. And only those who persevere to the end in this hard struggle will truly win the honours of Paradise. We need to draw strength for this very challenging endeavour, turning assiduously and confidently to prayer, certain that by our own strength we will achieve nothing. As the great St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori said, “He who prays is saved; he who does not pray is condemned.” It is thus within our power to win this crown! ◊