In the Gospel that we have just heard, we encounter a pivotal moment in the life and ministry of Jesus and His disciples. Jesus asks a question, but it’s not just a question that is solely meant for His disciples; it’s also meant for you and me: “Who do you say that I am?”

This question is foundational, it’s one of the most important questions that we can ask ourselves as Christians. It has echoed throughout the centuries and is just as relevant today, if not more relevant today than ever before. When Jesus first asks, He offers the disciples a chance to give the “safe” answer – they offer to Jesus what others have been saying: that He is John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets. But then, Jesus makes it personal: “Who do YOU say that I am?” (Mk 8:29).

Immediately after posing that question, Peter jumps in with great conviction. He says: “You are the Christ” (Mk 8:29). Peter’s answer is right, but, as we see in what follows, his understanding of what that actually means is incomplete. That is why Jesus, moments later, begins to explain that the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, and be killed. And then Peter does something that many of us can’t understand…he actually rebukes Jesus. Really? It’s almost as if we want to say to Peter: “Dude, you just said that He is the Christ. Now you’re rebuking Him?! You clearly do not understand who He is.” In Peter’s mind, the Christ shouldn’t suffer. His understanding of who the Messiah was supposed to be was imperfect. He believed that the Christ should be triumphant, a victorious king, not a suffering servant. Peter’s human mindset, focused on earthly power and glory, and that clashes with Jesus’ divine mission of self-sacrifice and love.

But we can often relate to Peter’s reaction, can’t we? A lot of the time, if we’re being honest, we want a Savior who makes everything easier for us. We want a life that’s free from suffering and hardship. We want a life where our relationship with Jesus is transactional, not transformational. But Jesus reminds us that following Him means something totally different; it doesn’t and shouldn’t be what we expect it to be. It isn’t free from suffering and hardship; it isn’t free from doubt, from uncertainty, from moments of despair. It doesn’t mean that we get to escape the cross; it means embracing it. He says, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mk 8:34).

This is the challenge of discipleship. It’s easy to profess faith in Jesus when things are going well. It’s harder when we’re faced with suffering, loss, rejection, or sinfulness. But it’s precisely in those moments that we are called to live out our faith in the most authentic way. Taking up the cross means surrendering our own desires, plans, and preferences, and trusting that God’s way is better – even when we don’t understand it.

The world tells us to avoid suffering at all costs, to seek comfort, success, and recognition. But Jesus offers a different path. He teaches that true life, true fulfillment, true joy is only found in Him; it’s only found in following His example – in embracing self-giving love, in sacrificing for others, and in placing our trust in God. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it” (Mk 8:35).

Y’all, that’s a radical message! It’s a message that turns the values of the world upside down. It’s countercultural. But it’s also a message of hope. Why? Because the cross is not the end of the story. After the cross comes the resurrection. Jesus shows us that through suffering and self-denial, through self-sacrifice and love, we are led to new life – not only in this life, but most importantly in the life to come.

So, how do we respond to the invitation from Jesus to take up our crosses? It starts with recognizing what those crosses are in our own lives. Maybe they’re the daily challenges we face – difficult relationships, health struggles, struggles with sinfulness, or the sacrifices we are asked to make for others. Instead of running away from these crosses, the Lord asks us to embrace them with love, trusting that He is with us in the midst of them. And we have to be vulnerable with the Lord about those crosses, sharing our hearts with Him about what we feel and think about them. That’s the only way we can relate them to Jesus, to ask for His help carrying them, and to learn how He is walking with us.

Today, let’s reflect on that question Jesus asks each one of us: “Who do you say that I am?” If we truly believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, then our lives should reflect that belief. Our lives should be about following His example and trusting in His providence. Let’s ask for the grace to know in our hearts who Jesus is and have the courage to daily take up our crosses and follow Him.

Image Source: Crucifix hanging above the altar at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Taken by: K. Mitch Hodge. August 2, 2019. Accessed September 15, 2024. Used under the Unsplash license.