22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 30, 2026
The risk and rewards of following Jesus
GOSPEL
Matthew 21:16-27
Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct."
REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPEL
Jesus Has No Part-time Disciples by Greg Carey, Professor of New Testament, Lancaster Theological Seminary
Matthew 16:21-28 confronts us with the gap between Jesus’ gruesome fate and our own modest discipleship Jesus’ verbs say it all. Deny the self, take up the cross, follow Christ. Moreover, only in losing one’s life — the primary meaning of apollymi is to destroy — one may save it. And Jesus apparently means it. Judgment, he says, involves “repaying” people according to what they have done. At this moment we are hearing Matthew’s distinctive voice: Salvation comes not to those who call Jesus “Lord,” but to those who do what he says (7:21-29). The Great Commission involves teaching people “to obey everything that I have commanded you” (28:20). It’s a matter of life and death. Disciples are to walk Jesus’ grim path. So we face the chasm between Jesus’ call to discipleship and our own lives as part-time volunteers for the Gospel. Few Christians abandon everything for the Gospel’s sake. Most of us simply fit our Christianity into the open spots on our calendars. But in this passage Jesus links the life of discipleship with his own path. This spring, Mark and Katharyn Richt sold their second home, a lakefront property valued at just below $2 million. Best known as head football coach at the University of Georgia, Mark Richt has earned — if you can call it that — more than $25 million dollars since taking that position in 2001. He also openly professes his Christian faith and engages in a variety of ministries. The Richts sold this property so that they could give to anti-poverty work. Mark Richt attributed the decision to the dynamic book “The Hole in Our Gospel” by Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision. Named the “Christian Book of the Year” for 2010, this resource introduces readers to the harsh reality of global and local poverty, pressing the question of how Christians should respond to human suffering in the light of the Gospel. If you’re interested, a fully resourced curriculum (DVDs, daily exercises, study guides and the like) supports the book for congregational and small group use. Some of us might not be all that impressed by the Richts’ sacrifice. What does it mean to sacrifice $2 million on an income of more than $3 million per year? “I’ll make that sacrifice,” the cynic might say. For my part, I am impressed. Katharyn and Mark Richt clearly understand that the Gospel not only blesses our souls, it also calls us to service that will enrich our lives and bring forth our resources. Following Dietrich Bonhoeffer, my denomination’s contemporary statement of faith confesses “the cost and joy of discipleship.” The Richts are not just giving money. This summer, they’ve joined World Vision in a trip to Honduras devoted to the construction of water wells. I fully trust the Richts are experiencing joy in their service. Matthew 16:21-28 moves from a focus upon Jesus and his vocation to his demands for disciples. Jesus has just congratulated Peter for his recognition that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Moreover, Jesus’ language has intimated authority and privilege: Peter the Rock provides the church’s foundation, he receives the keys to the realm of heaven and his earthly authority carries heavenly significance. But now Jesus begins a process of reinterpreting what being the Messiah really means — and what following that Messiah entails for the disciples. If Peter cannot bear the revelation of Jesus’ coming suffering (16:22), how will he respond when the focus shifts to disciples whose fate mimics that of Jesus? Some readers hardly need to hear this news. Moment by moment, many of us are constantly mindful that we fall far short of Jesus’ standard. By contrast, our culture needs the reminder. The prosperity gospel holds greater sway than many of us want to admit. According to a 2006 Time magazine poll, 17 percent of Americans claim allegiance to the movement, while 61 percent agree that God wants us to be prosperous. Maybe our preaching doesn’t draw folks who think that way. Then again, we find all sorts of surprising attitudes in our congregations, don’t we? Whatever the threat posed by the prosperity gospel, a more insidious assumption definitely lurks among us: that God wants us to be happy. Countless praise choruses celebrate how much Jesus loves us, how much we love Jesus and how great God is. Self-help books pack the inventories of Christian bookstores. This happiness assumption has sunk so deeply into our collective psyche that even the words of Jesus can hardly challenge it. Are we even capable of hearing that God might call us to radical sacrifice, even to danger? Can Jesus’ words get past our ears? It does no good for preachers to rehearse Jesus’ extreme demands while congregations sit in well-cushioned, air-conditioned sanctuaries. Preachers must level with our congregations. Precious few of us lay everything on the line for the Gospel, but neither can we ignore its call. In 1961 a group of Nashville students resolved to reinforce the Freedom Rides. Two previous busloads of Freedom Riders had already encountered firebombing and severe beatings, and the Nashville students determined that the movement, having commenced, should not be allowed to fail. No one could deny that these students experienced joy during their trials — the notorious Bull Connor complained, “I just couldn’t stand their singing” — but these students were fully mindful for the potential cost as well. The night before their departure, they had signed their last will and testaments. Singing hymns after signing one’s will: the cost and joy of discipleship. So what about Mark and Katharyn Richt? Perhaps we can’t credit them with suffering for the Gospel. But we can heed their testimony. As Mark Richt put it, “You know what, I don’t want to pour money into a home like that when I can use it for better things, for eternal things.” Jesus asked, “For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?”
First Impressions by Jude Siciliano, OP
Sadly, many ordinary people have experienced fraud in one form or another. In fact, being deceived or defrauded seems to be a frequent occurrence for many of us. For example: a person receives email that appears to come from a credit card company asking them to “verify your account.” Fraud! Someone pretends to be a police officer, bank employee, or church official and asks for money. Fraud! There are romance scams, when someone develops an online relationship and is then asked for money because of an “emergency.” Fraud! Then there are investment scams, home-repair scams, identity theft, “you-owe-money” scams, and so on. All fraud! We have to develop ways of protecting ourselves from being defrauded by crafty thieves. Unfortunately, in our modern, high-tech world, we almost expect to encounter one form of fraud or another. But-- we do not expect God to defraud us! God is the perfectly reliable One who always has our best interests at heart. Yet, Jeremiah feels that God has “duped” him. In this remarkable picture of faith, the one God called to be a prophet boldly asks why God has betrayed him – or at least, why it feels that way to this prophet. Jeremiah remembers when God called him: “To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak” (Jeremiah 1:7). He accepted the call and faithfully proclaimed God’s word. Yet what did he receive in return for his faithful service? Ridicule, rejection by the people he was sent to serve, and suffering. We do our best to live faithful lives, yet we still go through difficult times. Weren’t our prayers and faithful service meant to please God? So, how come life isn’t easier? Sometimes doing what we believe God is asking of us puts us in conflict, not only with the world outside, but even with those closest to us - friends and family. This leaves us questioning: “Did I get it wrong? Aren’t I doing my best to do God’s will? Then, why has my life gotten so difficult? Where is God in this mess?” There is a message for us in Jeremiah’s lament. Faithfulness to God does not always make life easier. Many of us know something of Jeremiah’s complaint. We pray, try to live faithfully, practice forgiveness, care for those in need, serve our church community, and stand up for what is right. Then how come some things get worse rather than better? Like Jeremiah, we might feel “duped” and complain, “God, I trusted you. Why did you let this happen to me?”Isn’t it striking how this faithful prophet does not hide his anger, frustration, and disappointment from God? But, as contradictory as it may seem, complaint can actually be an expression of faith in God. Even though Jeremiah is frustrated and disappointed, he is still speaking to God. He still believes God is there listening to him. His faithfulness shines forth when Jeremiah says, “If I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will speak in his name no more. But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart….” Jeremiah cannot simply walk away. He shows us what an honest relationship with God can be like. Even when we are frustrated, disappointed, angry, and confused, God does not turn away from us. God can handle our questions, our struggles, and even our moments of doubt. It is tempting to believe that if we trust God while we are suffering, everything will immediately be okay. But Jeremiah is an encouragement to us in difficult times to stay in conversation with God. Our questions, frustration, and even our anger will not turn God away from us. We may not understand why we are going through difficult moments, but God is faithful and stays with us in the struggle. We are not alone. The Gospel reminds us that Christianity does not guarantee us an easy life. Jesus promises his disciples that following him will give them life, but he also makes clear that accepting the richer life he offers will involve sacrifice. If we accept the cross, it will not end in death. The cross does not have the last word. Resurrection does! Peter does not want to hear that Jesus is going to Jerusalem. He knows that Jesus will suffer there. Even worse, if Peter and the others follow Jesus, they too will suffer. Peter cannot imagine that suffering and death could be part of God’s plan. Don’t we understand Peter’s dilemma? It is ours as well. We want to hear that God will protect us from suffering, loss, and disappointment. But it is clear that Jesus does not offer Peter, or us, an easy road. Jesus is not saying that we should go out of our way to suffer. But if we forgive, speak the truth, remain faithful to him, and live according to his teachings despite the cost, it is going to hurt us. Like Peter, I would prefer Christianity without the kind of discipleship Jesus offers. I want a faith that comforts me but does not challenge me. But Jesus asks us the same question he asked his disciples: “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” What would the life Jesus is offering, with its cross, look like now, in this world? It would mean becoming compassionate people, having integrity and strength in our relationships, and being courageous as we speak and act on behalf of the least among us. What a paradox! We find our true life not by clinging desperately to ourselves, but by giving ourselves away in love.
Quotable
The Gospels frequently show us Jesus on a journey”; he walks alongside people and listens to the questions and concerns working in their hearts. He shows us that God is not found neat and orderly places, distant from reality, but walks ever at our side. He meets us where we are, on the often-rocky road of life. God travels the path of history and shares in the life of humanity are we prepared for the advantage of this journey? – Pope Francis, October 10, 2021, Homily opening the Synod
Justice Bulletin Board by Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC
O God, you are my God whom I seek; for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water. —Psalm 63:2
When I read this passage from Psalms 63, I was immediately reminded of a quote that I read in Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home.” Pope Francis quotes Pope Benedict XVI who stated in his homily at his Inaugural Mass, 2005, “The external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal deserts have become so vast. Therefore, the earth’s treasures no longer serve to build God’s garden for all to live in, but they have been made to serve the powers of exploitation and destruction.” I hope that you will take some time to reflect on what Pope Benedict is saying here that is reiterated by Pope Francis. Taking care of the garden is the very first job that God gave humans to do (Genesis 2:15). We are at the beginning of the Season of Creation that runs from the World Day of Prayer for Creation (September 1) to the Feast of St. Francis (October 4), patron saint “of those who promote ecology.” This month is the perfect time for some self-examination as to what we are doing to contribute to the growth of “deserts” both individually and corporately. Reflecting on Pope Benedict’s quote, in 2006, the New Zealand Catholic Bishops wrote, “Protecting the environment involves moderating our desires to consume and own more, which create lifestyles that bring death to millions of other people. Consumerism, global environmental change and suffering in the developing world are inextricably linked. . . Individual acts of selfishness can create a society characterized by a desire for short term gain and immediate gratification over longer term needs and a wider view. In response, both individual and collective acts of selflessness are needed – of self-sacrifice for the greater good, of self-denial in the midst of convenient choices, of choosing simpler lifestyles in the midst of a consumer society. This does not mean abandoning the scientific and technological advances. . .It means using them wisely, and in a thoughtful manner which reflects true solidarity with all the people of the earth.” (Statement on Environmental Issues - New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference) NC Catholics Caring for our Common Home and Cathedral’s Laudato Si’ Circle are offering a 12-week webinar starting September 11 called “Creation at the Crossroads” from Renew International. Contact socialconcern@hnojnc.org to join.
Faith Book
Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. “Faith Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home.
From today’s Gospel reading: Jesus said to the disciples” “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.”
Reflection: The disciples didn’t realize what they were getting into when they said “Yes” to Jesus’ invitation to follow him? They discovered that serving God by responding to Jesus’ call, even though a good thing to do, does not guarantee smooth sailing. But they also learned to trust that God was with them as they tried to respond to Jesus’ call, “Come follow me.”
So, we ask ourselves:
Do we hear Jesus’ call now, “Come follow me?” How shall we respond?
Can we trust that God will be with us in that response?
ENCOUNTER CHRIST REFLECTIONS AND MEDITATIONS
Preparation for the Session
Presence of God: Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you. (1-2 minutes of silence)
Freedom: Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love. (1-2 minutes of silence)
Consciousness: Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life. (2-3 minutes of silence)
Opening Prayer
Lord, you invite us to ask question of our actions, motives and attitudes, to ask ourselves what we expect if we follow your ways. Support us in the times that are not easy, and help us to keep focused on holding you and your ideals close to my heart, even when it hurts to do so.
Companions for the Journey
From “First Impressions” (2011). A service of the Southern Dominican Province
Last Sunday Jesus blessed Peter and gave him authority over his mission to build the household of God. Things have turned quickly on Peter as now Jesus calls him a devil and pushes him off. The sound of his rejection reminds us of what Jesus said to the devil when he tempted Jesus in the desert, "Away with you, Satan!" You can't blame Peter for trying to save his master from pain and death. But there is more involved than just a devoted disciple's desire to protect the teacher he loves and follows. Christianity is not an easy walk, all smiles and good feelings. "Finding Jesus," or having "Jesus in my heart," might produce initial buoyancy of spirit. But eventually the fuller picture of what following Jesus entails will set in. In the first reading, Jeremiah was initially attracted by God's call, but today feels tricked by God because his vocation has caused him much grief. Peter should have known better, after all, he's following the prophet Jesus. If Peter had reflected over the history of his religion, he would have remembered how prophets got rejected and killed. Now Peter is facing what Jeremiah faced: he is being called to accept a prophetic role and it will cost. "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me." You can buy a gold cross in any jewelry store. If you are a rock or movie star you can afford to buy a large jewel-encrusted cross to wear before your adoring followers. But that's not the kind of cross Jesus invites Peter and us to willingly take up each day. We are not likely to suffer crucifixion as Jesus did, but it's clear Jesus invites his disciples to sacrifice for his sake and for the preaching of the gospel. Today Paul points out how we disciples are to live. We ought to offer our bodies "as a living sacrifice." Christians are not to "conform yourselves to this age...." If we choose to follow Christ we will live lives based on a different set of values from what guides those around us. This choice will cost us--friends, family, popularity and even possessions. We cannot buy into the values of our culture without first passing them under the lens of the gospel. At first Peter does not accept the terms of the relationship Jesus is offering. The emphasis on the pain and sacrifice seems to have blocked his ears to what comes along with the cross--life. Peter will, Jesus promises, gain his life. After we get beyond Jesus' casting Peter off, we might notice there's an offer also being made to Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" It's an initial rejection, Jesus is also telling Peter to go back where disciples should be--behind and following Jesus. That's the right place for us too, despite our repeated failures to live up to being Jesus' disciples. Like Peter, in subtle or more obvious ways, we have rejected the cost of discipleship and admit today our need for another chance to keep trying. We are invited back where we belong--following Jesus. Along with other disciples, we will be guided by Matthew over the next weeks as we listen to Jesus' teachings. We disciples will notice on our journey with Jesus how he daily accepts his cross; the rejection and slander thrown in his path on the road to Jerusalem. As always, Jesus offers forgiveness for wayward and even obstructing disciples. Jesus sees in us what he saw in Peter, a willingness to do the best we can to follow him, even unto death. And so we join Peter as we get behind Jesus and follow him to Jerusalem.
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today's reading and discussion? Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions which follow.
Reflection Questions:
What is my motivation behind engaging in denial of future unpleasant events—either ones I will experience or ones I expect a loved one will experience?
Have I ever been in denial about some reality of life, or try to "sugarcoat" the truth for someone else?
How did it work out for me?
What would you do to prevent a family member or another loved one from being hurt?
If you thought a beloved one was making a foolish or dangerous choice, would you try to talk them out of it?
Have I ever been the recipient of someone’s fear for my safety or happiness?
What form did this fear take?
How did I respond?
Why do you think Jesus reacts the way he does?
Do I secretly believe that faith in Jesus will make life easier?
Or that it ought to?
Has there been a time when God's plan for me did not meet my expectations?
Have I ever been in the middle of a project and realized that it was a much bigger undertaking than I imagined and was going to cost me more in time and resources than I was prepared to spend?
Do we tend to measure whether we are doing the right thing by how well things turn out?
Is there a prevailing, but unacknowledged expectation that if we are doing what God wants, then god will " bless" us with having things turn out well?
Can you name any contemporary people who have spoken out boldly for what they believed?
Other than the usual heroes like MLK, Jr, Bishop Romero, do you know of ordinary people who did something similar?
Was there a cost?
Do I sometimes, in my own religious journey, deny the meaning of the cross?
Why?
What do I think it means, in real-life terms, to take up my cross and follow Christ?
What do I have to risk?
From Daniel Harrington, S.J.: Do you ever think of your whole life as an act of worship?
What does it mean to say that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God?
Did Peter think it meant something quite different from the reality of Jesus’ life?
Which of the last two gospel stories seems to be a truer picture of Peter?
With which one do I most identify? Why?
In what way do we try to “save our lives”?
What do we buy, or use, or what comforts do we seek, calling those possessions life”?
Is there anything in our current culture—any values which might not pass the “smell test” when compared to Jesus teaching?
What in my life do I want to” save”?
What is the cost?
Is there anything precious to me that I can let go of in order to be able to live more fully?
I think of one behavior or personal habit I need to lose in order to save my own life as a follower of Jesus, or as a happy person.
How does the message of this gospel fly in the face of our expectations that following Jesus will bring us an end to our problems?
How does the Great Commandment fit into the message that those who try to save their lives will lose them?
Closing Prayer
Don’t forget to provide some prayer time at the beginning and at the end of the session (or both), allowing time to offer prayers for anyone you wish to pray for.
Dear Lord, help me to understand that I must let go of all that seems to suggest getting somewhere, being someone, having a name and a voce, following a policy and directing people in “my” ways. This is hard, Lord. Help me to remember that what matters is to love.
For the Week Ahead
Weekly Memorization:
(Taken from the gospel for today's session)
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Meditations:
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination: Read Acts 4:1-22. Think about the scene where Peter and John are jailed by Sadducees overnight awaiting the arrival of the council of elders in Jerusalem—this, for healing in Jesus’name and teaching that Jesus rose from the dead. What do you think they discussed that night in their jail cell? How intitidating was the quesioning by Ananias, the High Priest? How did they respond to the ultimatum laid down by the elders that they should never speak or talk about Jesus? What impressed those listening about Peter and John, who were just ordinary men? How had Peter's attitude been changed since the story related in Matthew 16? What do you think Peter expected when he began to follow Jesus? What has happened to him to give him the courage and the strength he displays in the story from Acts? Think of a time in your life when you dreaded something in the future, but then plucked up the courage to face the challenge. What do you think gave you the strength to do what you had to do?
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions: (Adapted from “First Impressions” 2008, a service of the Southern Dominican Province) Do we have a choice; can we reject the invitation of Jesus? Of course we can. What is given to us today is an invitation, not a command. “Whoever wishes to come after me....Whoever wishes to save his/her life....” Jesus wants us to be fully aware of what we are taking on. But we won’t always feel the divine pat on the back for a job well done. Like Jesus, we may just have to keep going, trusting the call we once heard. Jesus invites us into the same daily journey. What might we lose? In following Jesus, we might
find ourselves at odds with our family’s fundamental choices and criteria for success
refuse to practice unethical behavior, even at the risk of our academic advancement or careers
choose forgiveness against voices telling us to be “realistic” and not naive
do an honest day’s work, even when the boss is not looking and others are cutting corners and telling us “everyone else does it”
treat co-workers with respect, despite their job skills, level of education or social status
welcome the newcomers into our social grouping, and treat them as “one of us”
Jesus invites you into the same daily journey. What might you gain? Only you can answer this question for yourself. Spend some time this week reflecting not only on the risks of discipleship, but also on its rewards.
A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action: (From Pope Francis, on the opening of the Synod October 2021) The Gospels frequently show us Jesus on a journey; he walks alongside people and listens to the questions and concerns working in their hearts. He shows us that God is not found neat and orderly places, distant from reality, but walks ever at our side. He meets us where we are, on the often rocky road of life. God travels the path of history and shares in the life of humanity are we prepared for the advantage of this journey? How do I live as though I am really on this journey with God?
A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Action: Read this part of chapter 12 of the gospel of John. Jesus answered :“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life* loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. I am troubled* now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Sometimes we forget that Jesus was human, just as we are, with the same hopes and fears. In this section of John, we see hints of the internal difficulties he faced. It could not have been easy for him, just as impending, potentially hard, events are not always easy for us. Share with Jesus your understanding of his human fears and trepidations, his impending loss of his friends and his very life. Put yourself in his place as he stares down the stark realities of his future. Pick a phrase from this passage that speaks to you, or one that you struggle with. Then share with him a time when you suffered for doing the right thing, and share, too, your temptations to sometimes take the easy way out, because it is sometime so very hard follow in his footsteps,
Poetic Reflection
Read the following poem by Mary Oliver. What is your response?
The Journey
One day you finally knew
what you had to do and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice—
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
around your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do—
determined to save
the only life you could save.
