Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons - 3 September 2017

Fr Robin Gibbons

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Sept 3 2017

" 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.* (Mt 16:24-25)

Somehow those few words of Matthew's have always been like a mantra that I keep returning to. They pop up, as Scripture does at all kinds of moments, but usually when I reflect on change that is happening around me or that needs to come into my life. Early on as a young monk and priest I often wondered about the disparity of experience between those of us who lived in affluent rich societies and the poor of the world. Even those of us who were supposed to live some form of the vow of poverty were far better off than those on the margin of our society. It wasn't much help explaining the Rule of Benedict's conception as common ownership not radical poverty, of a life lived that was equal to the local community.

But then youth doesn't equip us with all the answers, the wisdom of experience and a life lived to the full has been my way of discovering the Gospel songs of Jesus, following him as he asks is not to create some false world of religious asceticism but to live out fully what is our own path; denying oneself is simply to stop making ourselves the centre of our lives.

We do that often, push our own desires, wants, demands into the framework of family and friendships. There's nothing wrong with asking for help or even expecting love from dear ones, but it must be for good reasons. Denying oneself is a long road of reaching out to both God and others whilst keeping a grip one our own growth. So it seems to me, as I get older, that Jesus isn't asking most of us great sacrifices, only the little gifts of unselfish love each day. These events are the small crosses of our life.

We don't follow Jesus in a blind way, nor is that narrow road to salvation one of hidden traps and problems, others are with us, many have gone before us, we have plenty of help in our great religious tradition and the Lord is with us. He took up his cross and hanging on it blessed the world with the triumph of love, his own self-giving. May our prayer always be that of the good thief: "Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. " Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Lk 23:42-42)

Prayer of Columba

Be a bright flame before me, O God
a guiding star above me.
Be a smooth path below me,
a kindly shepherd behind me
today, tonight, and for ever.
Alone with none but you, my God
I journey on my way;
what need I fear when you are near,
O Lord of night and day?
More secure am I within your hand
than if a multitude did round me stand.
Amen.

(Columba, c.521 - 597)