The Comfort of Discomfort!

Rev. Marcel Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Twelfth Sunday in the Ordinary Time, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, June 19, 2016

During one of the most crucial moments in his life and ministry, Jesus asked his disciples: “Who do the crowds say that I am?” The disciples replied, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” Then he fired a second question to them, “But who do you say that I am?” The impetuous Peter declared, “You are) the Christ of God.” Jesus posed those questions not because he didn’t know who he was. His own words and actions showed that awareness as he taught with power and authority, healed the sick, cast out demons, forgave sins, cleansed lepers, raised the dead, calmed a raging sea (storm), walked on waters, fed thousands of people with five barley loves and two fish, broke and disregarded racial and discriminatory laws that divide people. The Gospels picture him as a person who is convinced he can speak and act for God, with a power that went beyond ordinary human experience. Jesus certainly knew who he was but wanted to find out if there was anyone, from the crowds to his disciples, who has come to understand, through his teaching and deeds, who he was. He was not expecting a full comprehension of who he was. But he expected someone to have a hint of who he was. From Peter’s testimony, it’s clear he had an idea of who Jesus was, but his knowledge of Jesus was still at its infancy stage. So, Jesus urged them not to tell anyone yet. They had much to learn before they could start teaching others.

Christ was not Jesus’ last name. The word Christ (Christos in Greek) means the “Anointed One.” In Hebrew “Anointed One” is the Messiah. The Jewish view of the Christ was a powerful and gifted king or a cosmic judge of the earth or a great high priest who would teach the undiluted word of God. He would also liberate God’s people and save them from the Roman occupation. The disciples of Jesus, like all other Jews had grown up expecting from God an all conquering king who would conquer the world. Although Jesus was King, but not the type of king being expected. Peter and the other disciples were filled with excitement at being associated with the messiah who will conquer the world. But Jesus shocked and disappointed them when he told them that God’s Anointed One will conquer nations but not with weapons of mass destruction but with the weapon of mass salvation- the Cross. He has come to die upon the cross so that people of every nation, language, tribe and tongue might be saved.

After disappointing his disciples of the fate and destiny of the Anointed One, Jesus shocked them further by declaring: “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will loose it, but whoever looses his life for my sake will save it.” What does it mean to deny oneself? To deny oneself is to live a life of “God must become greater, while I must become less” (John 3:30). It is about becoming more like God and less of the self. To deny oneself is to become more selfless and less selfish. It’s about doing what St. Paul said in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” To deny oneself is to reject the demands of the flesh and accept what the Spirit of the Lord wants. As long as God and God’s matters do not come first in our lives, we are yet to deny ourselves.

Jesus also enjoined his disciples to take up their cross daily and follow him. To take up our cross means to be prepared to face and confront the difficulty associated with being loyal and obedient to Jesus. To take up our cross means being ready to endure the worst that people can do to us for the sake of being true to him. It means refusing to be intimidated by those who will persecute us because we belong to Jesus. It means saying “No” even when it is most difficult to say it to those who want us to betray him. Being true to Jesus will bring some rejection and castigation. Those who hate your simplicity, honesty, faithfulness and tidy moral life may paint you bad. It is usually said “If you cannot beat them, join them.” But if you refuse to join the bandwagon, they will come after you. But refusing to join the bandwagon of immorality instead preferring the castigation and hatred is part of the cross.

“Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it…” God did not give us life to horde it for ourselves but to spend it for others. So, the question is no longer “How much can I get,” but “How much can I give?” It is no longer “What is the safe thing to do? but “What is the right thing to do?” Jesus knew that his followers would sometimes endure some discomfort and risk their lives in order to be true to him. No one wants discomfort. But discomfort is not all that bad. It has something to teach us: “If you never felt pain, then how would you know that Jesus is a Healer? If you never had a trial, how could you call yourself an overcomer?If you never felt sadness, how would you know that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter?If you never were in  trouble, how would you know that the Lord will come to your rescue? If you never had a problem, how would you know that Jesus is the Burden-Bearer? If you never had any suffering, then how would you know what Jesus went through? If you never went through the fire, how would you become pure as gold? If God gave you all things, how would you appreciate them and depend on him? If your life was perfect, you may never need God! “ These are what I call “The Comfort of Discomfort!