Year A
Nahum 1: 15; 2:2; 3:1-3.6-7
Dt. 32:35cd-36ab.39abcd.41 (R. 39c)
Matthew 16: 24-28
The Illusions of the Flesh
Concerning the Precious Blood Devotion, every Thursday evening, devotees are to relive the event in the garden of Gethsemane. This is known as the Gethsemane Hour. Yesterday as I was participating in this beautiful prayer, I decided to read the passage in Scripture before praying the rest of the prayers, and was struck by this statement of Jesus;
Matthew 26:41 "Stay awake, and pray not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing enough, but human nature is weak."
Human nature is weak? hmmm. But why will Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:48 ask us to be perfect as the heavenly Father, if human nature which is weak is different from God's nature?
In fact Sacred Scriptures make us aware that God alone is holy and good (cf. Mark 10:18). But what about those who did the will of God and are called Holy ones or saints? To say God is perfect, means perfection is God, for perfection is his nature. With this, I am persuaded that if God or Jesus Christ is Holiness, he who has received righteousness confesses not himself but God or Jesus Christ.
Today he asks us that if we truly want to be his followers, if we truly want to be perfect as he is, we must do three things: deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him.
To deny oneself is in twofold; it means when you stop doing your will you will automatically be switched to doing God's will. Every action of the perfect man is a testimony to Christ Jesus, and that abstinence from every sin is a denial of self, leading him after Christ
This leads to a Cross. The Cross also is in twofold; suffering and victory. Once you deny yourself, you will have to struggle with those desires that you have denied yourself of to become holy. This is where the Christian life is seen as a warfare of constant struggle between your desires and the will of God.
However, we must also realize the second part of the Cross which is Victory. On the Cross God's will overcame the weak nature of Man. Remember at Gethsemane Jesus begged that the cup should pass him by, but later said the Father's will be done, and eventually God's will prevailed.
Matthew 26:42
"Again, a second time, he went away and prayed: 'My Father,' he said, 'if this cup cannot pass by, but I must drink, it your will be done!'
The final action involves making Jesus Christ the standard, leader or Lord of every dimension of your life. That is why he asks us to finally follow him.
We should not be whoring around, we should not allow the desires of the flesh engulf and consume us, rather we should allow God to aid us in our struggle against the Illusions of the flesh and be able to be like our heavenly Father, Holy ones.
By Sylvester Amakye-Quayson
Edited by
Michael Owusu Amponsah
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