Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons - 31 August 2014

Fr Robin Gibbons

There are plenty of crosses in life without going out to look for them, at least that’s my experience as I’m sure it is yours! Discipleship of Jesus isn’t about creating a scenario for ourselves in which we can practice the Gospel way of life, finding specific people and causes so we can exercise the virtue of love according to our desires. It’s about following Christ and throwing in our lot with his ways!

We cannot create an ideal Christian way of life. What we are called to do is love our neighbour in whatever situation we happen to find ourselves and to make that a constant practice! To take up our cross is to accept the actual demands that the gospel makes on us wherever we are, whatever we are doing in any place and situation. The invitation of Christ is not to look around and choose what we want, but to share his life of discipleship and humble self –giving.

Humility isn’t a virtue much appreciated today, especially in western societies where people’s opinions seem to dominate issues and self-assertion is seen as a way of life, even in the Church. But in the end the pursuit of self is not what we are about, the way of the cross is humility, learning to adjust our own perspective to that of God’s who chooses the weak and the poor to proclaim the kingdom to us.

Matthew tells us that the passion and death of Jesus will come from the connivance and instigation of officials from his faith community, a salutary reminder to any clergy who exercise office in the Church that they are not princes or rulers, but people with feet of clay who need to identify with the poor and oppressed.

Pope Francis keeps pointing this out , the Church is committed to the service of the poor! There are those especially in the Church, who criticize him for this, but how can we complain about the Pope’s call when all he is doing is pointing out Christ’s basic commandment ?

I’ve often pondered about losing one’s life, giving up one’s family for Christ. It doesn’t necessarily mean a physical separation at all, but prioritizing one’s own values, love, life, a realization that through Baptism we belong to a greater, bigger, inclusive family, here on earth and in heaven, rich and poor alike!

Fr Robin Gibbons is an Eastern Rite Chaplain for the Melkite Greek Catholics in Britain.