2018 02 15 Reflection 156 (Bro. aibel Shaji OP on Lk 9:22-25)

Like us on facebook at   / dominicanministriesgoa   write to us: [email protected] Dear brothers and sisters, Rejection! a common word to us. It is constructed with eight alphabets. He is rejected, I rejected, I am rejected yes, we are familiar with different phrases such as these. In today's gospel, Jesus uses this word twice. In the first context, the word is used to tell of his passion death and resurrection. In the second context it is of rejecting one self and following him. Jesus said to his disciples: "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised." Jesus- God, and took the form of a man to be with his people here on earth. Let me ask a question, Why did Jesus Foretell about his passion death and resurrection? By foretelling, Jesus meant here to encourage his disciples in order to follow him firmly and proclaim his word courageously. He firmly assures them to hold on to his disciple ship. Discipleship is a trademark of self denial and the taking of the cross and following master and Lord. In the Christian perspective we are very much familiar with the word "cross", what does it mean? Cross does not mean merely bearing one's particular hardship in life, such as poor health, abuse, unemployment, unmarried parents, a indifferent spouse. The cross is always an instrument of death, not just an object to carry or bear. Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. the word cross and rejection go hand in hand here. No one can take up the cross, without self denial. self denial is an renunciation of the things of the world. A path way to renounce oneself and follow the path of our Lord and God. Friends, as we are in the second day of lent, let's determine to have a perseverance in our life. That this lent may be a new step to our life and an opportunity to know our God