Faith

Thursday, 19th week in ordinary time – 13th August 2026 – Matthew 18:21-19:1

Matthew chapter 18 is the Community Discourse. It is Jesus’ blueprint for how we live together, love together, and lock arms together. Jesus teaches us how to deal with a sinful brother or sister.  He does not say ignore it, he does not say cancel them, he talks about carefrontation. Not confrontation. Carefrontation.

Look at how we handle conflict. We usually default to one of two broken extremes. Either we come in with cruel truth, or we settle for cowardly comfort. Some of us in the room, and I’m putting my hand up first; we just confront. We slam people with the facts and break the person to prove a point. That isn’t righteousness. That is cruelty. Truth without love is brutal.

But then the rest of us? We swing to the other side. We comfort people right in the middle of their compromise. We see the toxic behavior, we see the sin destroying their life, and we say nothing because we want to avoid the awkwardness. We call it “keeping the peace,” but Jesus calls it a lack of love. Love without truth isn’t kind. It is sentimental garbage. It lets people drown so we don’t have to get wet. Jesus is calling us to a third way. He is calling us to Carefrontation.

In the text of today, Peter has a hypothetical situation or perhaps one that he was struggling with himself. What does one do with a member of the Church who sins against another member of the Church? How often should one forgive that member? Notice that the Gospel of Matthew is the only Gospel that uses the word ‘Church,’ which, from the Greek, translates as ‘a calling out of.’ That is what a Church is, ‘people called out.’ Ironically, we have become a people who are comfortable in!

Peter doesn’t just ask the question; he tries to flex his own formula. The culture back then said you forgive a brother three times. But a Gentile? An outsider who doesn’t look like you or believe like you? Zero times. They labeled them “the enemy” and locked the door. And isn’t it crazy how 2,000 years later, we are still running that same broken script? We have upgraded our technology, but we haven’t transformed our terminology. We can launch rockets into space, but we still can’t launch grace across the room. We have grown mentally in our systems, but we are completely stunted in our spirits, still treating the people who are different from us like they are disqualified from the mercy of God.

Peter assumes that his generous offer to forgive seven times, four times more than what his Jewish brothers would have done, should have earned him a meritorious mention by Jesus. Peter’s jaw must have certainly dropped at the Lord’s answer. Seventy times seven was certainly not the answer he imagined. Peter must have thought that Our Lord had finally lost it. Sure, the Lord had said some rather challenging statements in the past but this was not challenging, this was outright ridiculous. Perhaps, it was Peter’s look of disbelief and horror that prompted the parable of the ‘unforgiving servant.’ (verse 18:23-19:1)

The parable has many little details that are of great interest. Sadly, these little details in the parable get overshadowed compared to the larger message of forgiveness that we have got accustomed to hearing or the teaching that this parable ought to bear upon us. So, the question we need to ask at first is, how in God’s name did the servant of the King end up with a debt so high and even more how did the King permit such a debt to accumulate?

Ten thousand talents are no small amount.  One talent is equal to 5,475 denarii (one dinar is a day’s labour) and the debt had stacked up to 54,750 denarii or about 150 years of labour. So how did the King slip up in overlooking the debt of his servant, or did he?

The eye of the King and I am not talking about some earthly ruler in a story. I am talking about Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. When you look at that debt, a debt so massive it represents 150 years of backbreaking labour. That tells a story! It means we have been reckless. It means we have been spiritually bankrupt in our choices, running to His throne not just for help, but to overborrow mercy.

Borrowing grace has become our habit. We have let the debt pile up to astronomical proportions, running up a spiritual tab that we have absolutely no capacity to pay. And here is the absolute irony of our insanity: we look at that unpayable mountain of debt, and what do we do? We go right back to the counter and try to borrow again. We keep drawing from a well we never dug, expecting the King to just keep covering our compromise.

The King on the other hand is fully aware of the debt owed and even more fully aware that the debt can’t be paid back to Him. His magnanimous heart has already figured this out and he knows that He will have to cancel the debt even though the threat of punishment is part of the deal. Yet he forgives and waves off the debt; an act of generosity unmatched by human kindness.

So here is the ultimate question we are left holding today: if you have been standing under a waterfall of infinite grace, how dare you try to hand out forgiveness with a measuring cup? How can we look at the unpayable, astronomical mountain of debt that Jesus just wiped clean from our record, and then turn around to someone else and say, “Alright, you get seven chances, and then you’re cut off”?

Peter finally got the point. The math of the Kingdom isn’t about limits; it’s about mirroring. If the King gave you limitless mercy, you owe limitless mercy. Peter woke up to the truth and my prayer for you today is that we finally get it too!

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Wednesday,19th week in ordinary time – 12th August 2026 – Matthew 18:15-20

We have reached the fourth major teaching section in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew 18 is the community manual directed at Peter and the rest of the followers, focusing on how believers relate to one another. The chapter begins with a question from the disciples about who holds the highest rank in heaven’s kingdom. To understand this passage correctly, we must look at it strictly through the lens of that original question instead of imposing modern ideas or current viewpoints.

This question asked by the disciples is a bit of an oddity. You won’t be asking this question when twice before this; in rapid succession (Matthew 16:21-23 and 17:22-23) Jesus has declared his passion, death and resurrection.  The disciples weren’t just asking a random, casual question. They were stressed out! Why? Because Peter just got the promotion.

Just two chapters earlier, Jesus looked right at Peter and said, “You are the rock, and on this rock, I’m building my church!” Suddenly, Peter’s got the keys. He’s got the title. And the rest of the crew? They’re looking at each other going, “Wait a minute… if he’s the rock, what are we? Pebble number one and pebble number two?” They weren’t just curious about heaven; they were insecure about their status. They wanted to know where they stood on the charts of power!

Jesus places a child in their presence as an answer to their question. They were driven by the desire to be given status and Jesus clearly demands that they change their mindset. Using a double negative he insists they will never enter the kingdom of heaven if they are driven by such earthly titles and honours.

The community discourse was thus meant to be a guidepost to the leaders of the Church. It was their duty to ensure that their very behaviour would shine ‘like a light’ for the rest of the community and not scandalize the little ones. These little ones were not to be despised but to be protected and defended from the forces of evil within and without.

With this larger framework, we now look at the text of today. This text (15-20) has often been seen as some sort of a handbook for resolving matters rather than what it was meant to be; concern for others. In its context, this text is sandwiched between the parable of the lost sheep and the mandate to forgive seventy times seven. The purpose of the process is not to win the argument, but to win back your brother.

If you are surrounded by the message of love, it is improbable that the core of your learning turns out to be rotten. This text is cushioned with love. If the shepherd left the ninety-nine sheep in search of the one lost, would he bring him back only to put him on trial? Grace doesn’t hunt you down to lock you up; it rescues you to bring you home.

As I said earlier, the point of this text in dealing with a sinful brother is not to haul him over the coals but to restore a wounded relationship. Matthew is asking his community to settle matters of dispute by tapping into the resources of the community and not to seek recourse in some external judicial kangaroo court. However, the disputes taken to the community are not meant to be trivial matters but those grave in nature and that gravity was highlighted by the word ‘sinful’.

A community of believers is not insulated from disagreements. The words of Jesus seem to indicate a hypothetical situation highlighted by the word IF, which is repeated five times in the text. But this hypothetical situation is more than just a hypothesis for we know that sparks fly when people live in a community. The Lord, mindful of such possible conflicts, wanted them to be addressed, for conflicts that are not addressed only fester.

Some of us have turned Matthew 18 into a weapon. We look at this text like it’s a four-step execution plan, and we can’t wait to get to step four so we can finally cut somebody off! We hide behind the letter of the law because it gives us a religious excuse to do what our flesh wants to do anyway. But let me tell you, if your goal is the expulsion, you have completely missed the expectation! The heart of God is not excommunication; it is restoration. The whole point of the process isn’t to push people out, it’s to pull them back in!

The sensitivity in this text oozes over. The member in question is ‘sinful’, there is a grievous wound caused due to the action of the person. Individual sins of a member hurt the community at large. There is no sin, no matter how personal, that does not injure the community. The Confiteor or the I confess is said as a public admittance of our individual sins and while it does not sacramentally absolve us of our sins it is an appropriate way to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, admitting our sins which wound the body of Christ.

Hence the sin of a sinful brother needs to be dealt with and done so sensitively. The temptation would be to gloss over the sin, after all addressing such a matter is embarrassing for all. All the same, it must be ‘pointed out’ and be done privately or ‘alone’ to avoid embarrassing the person thus allowing the member to begin with a clean slate.

But then again, the perception of sinfulness may have not permeated into the consciousness of the errant member and in that case may warrant the intervention of a few more members.  Perhaps their eyes haven’t opened to the blind spot. In that case Jesus suggests you bring in a few more people.

What you need to understand is that bringing a few more people to settle the matter is not a matter of calling backup to bully them! Jesus is clear, these ‘few more people’ are partners in restoration, not a prosecution team out to destroy them.

Yet If that sinful brother or sister still closes their ears, that’s when you bring it to the Church. And if they reject the Church, you treat them like an outsider, because they are choosing to walk outside the covenant. The goal is always a rescue mission to win them back, not a religious courtroom with a pack of church lawyers out for blood!

Matthew is the only Gospel that uses the word, Church. (Ecclesia, meaning a calling out or an assembly) In this text, you will find the word used thrice. It is to this Church, that is granted the gift of ‘binding and loosening,’ a gift that was given to St Peter in Chapter 16:19. This is incredible power and with great power comes great responsibility.

The text must therefore always be seen as a responsibility that is thrust on the shoulders of the Church to make every effort to heal the wounds of division. Jesus will back this text with his response to Peter’s question; you MUST forgive seventy times seven.

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Tuesday, 19th week in ordinary time – Memorial of St Clare – 11th August 2026 – Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14
If you want to understand the weight of what Jesus is saying here, you have to back up and look at the whole picture from verse 1 to 14, because context determines your breakthrough. We are officially stepping into the fourth of the five great discourses in the Gospel of Matthew. This isn’t just a casual conversation by the campfire; Chapter 18 is the “Community Discourse.”
Jesus is pulling Peter and the rest of the disciples into a huddle to give them the ultimate masterclass on community relations. He isn’t teaching them how to build an empire; He’s teaching them how to build a brotherhood. He’s looking at a group of competitive, hot-headed men and saying, “Before you try to change the world, you’ve got to learn how to live with each other.”
The text opens with the disciples asking Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The entire pericope must now be seen on the basis of this question and not through a modern-day application of issues or our own interpretation.
Look at the disciples in Matthew 18:1, because their timing is completely off and it exposes exactly how we miss what God is actually saying. They pull up to Jesus and ask, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” which is a wild question to ask when you look at the context. It’s an absolute oddity! You don’t ask for a promotion when the CEO just told you the company is about to go through a crisis.
Twice before this, back-to-back in rapid succession, first in Matthew 16 and then again in Matthew 17, Jesus had just laid it all on the line. He looked them in the eyes and declared His passion, His death, and His resurrection. He’s talking about a cross, and they are competing for a crown! He is trying to prepare them for a burial, but they are too busy trying to plan their political coronation.
They are asking for a seat at the table of power while entirely ignoring the sacrifice that pays for the room.  Perhaps what was bogging the minds of the disciples was the primacy of Peter, for Jesus in Chapter 16: 16- 19 had declared him to be ‘the rock’ and now the others wanted to know where they stood on the charts of power.
Jesus places a child in their presence as an answer to their question. They were driven by the desire to be given status and Jesus clearly demands that they change their mindset. Using a double negative, he insists they will never enter the kingdom of heaven if they are driven by such earthly titles and honours.
Children, in first century Palestine were considered the lowest on the social strata. While they were loved and cared for, they certainly had no rights. Jesus was not asking the disciples to emulate the faith of child but rather become like a child who has no rights. In verse five, Jesus humbles himself identifying with a child who has no power and wants the disciples to do the same.
It is with this context in mind that we should read verses 6-9. The desire for power and position in the community is stumbling block for the others. This word ‘stumbling block’ used seven times in four verses is translated in Greek as ‘skandalizos’ from where you get the English word, scandal.
When the leaders at the top start fighting for power, the people at the bottom are the ones who pay the price, and Jesus has zero tolerance for that. The moment the elders and leaders of the community get caught up in a toxic power struggle, it becomes a massive counter-sign, a total stumbling block to Matthew’s ‘little ones,’ the brand-new converts who just stepped into the faith.
Jesus looks at these power-hungry leaders and doesn’t give them a gentle slap on the wrist; He advocates a watery grave with a heavy millstone dragged around their necks! Why a millstone? Because that massive stone ensures that those corrupt, selfish thoughts sink straight to the absolute bottom of the sea. Jesus wanted to bury those prideful desires so deep under the waves that their thirst for power would never, ever find its way back to the surface again! Jesus would rather drown your ego in the depths of the sea than let your pride poison the purity of His house.
So, any part of the body, be it the eye, hand or foot that drives the rest of the body towards the lust for power should be discarded than have the entire body be burnt in the fires of Gehenna. The word hell used in verse nine was a reference to the valley of Gehenna which was situated outside the city of Jerusalem where the rubbish of the city burnt constantly.
This community discourse wasn’t just a casual conversation; it was a divine GPS and a protective guardrail for the leaders of the Church. Jesus is laying down the law, showing them that it is their absolute duty to live in a way that doesn’t just blend in, but glows.
Leaders are called to illuminate the path, not create a hazardous roadblock that scandalizes the “little ones” who are just trying to find their way. These new believers aren’t target practice for your frustration, and they aren’t collateral damage for your church politics. They are not to be despised! They are to be aggressively protected, fiercely defended, and shielded from every toxic force of evil, whether it’s sneaking in from the outside world or brewing right inside the walls of the church!
However, there was always a possibility of the sheep straying.  Unlike Luke’ Gospel where the sheep was lost, Matthew’s Gospel refers to the sheep that chooses to stray away. This perhaps was a reference to a community member who lost his faith or simply decided to be adventurous and move away.
Technically it is foolishness to leave ninety-nine sheep vulnerable to wolves while the shepherd goes in search of one lost but this is exactly what Jesus desired. He desired us to risk all for the sake of one in order to highlight how precious every soul in the community is. Jesus desires us to have the right concern for every member of the community especially those who have gone astray.
If leadership in the Church plays the number game, then we will be happy with the ninety-nine and the seemingly packed Church at Sunday mass. We fail the Lord when we take comfort in a full house at Sunday mass. Sadly, a count of the sheep may reveal that in the course of time the number that strayed away in not one but one too many.
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Feast of St Lawrence – 10th August 2026 – John 12:24-26

Chapter 12 of the Gospel of John opens with Jesus stepping into Jerusalem under a wave of cheers, but He isn’t caught up in the hype. Jesus is reading the room, and He knows the applause is on a countdown timer; those loud “Hosannas” are just days away from morphing into a bloodthirsty “Crucify him!”

 By this point, the religious establishment is experiencing a total meltdown. They are spinning their wheels in pure frustration, throwing their hands up and shouting, “You see you can do nothing. Look the world has gone after him.” (12:19)

It is in this context that you read John 12:24, “Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” This is a heavyweight verse that we love to toss around on social media or print on a coffee mug, but we quote it so glibly that it slides right off our souls without demanding a single change in how we live.

Christ didn’t drop this truth in a vacuum; Andrew and Philip brought it to Him because a group of outsiders; Greeks who showed up to worship at the festival in Jerusalem. They came knocking with a simple request: they ‘wanted to see Jesus’ (12:20).

Stop right there and let that searchlight hit your heart. Has Jesus been reduced to a mere ‘person of interest’ in your life?  Our celestial panic button for when the bank account gets low, or just a casual acquaintance we follow from a distance?

Jesus answers those Greeks by exposing the exact depth of the bond He’s after, and it isn’t casual. If a couple stands at the altar and vows, “I will love you in good times but will consider how committed I should be in bad times?” That marriage is dead before the cake is cut!

Jesus isn’t looking for part-time fans; He’s demanding the whole you when He declares, ‘unless (you), the grain of wheat, fall into the ground AND die.’ It feels safe, cozy, and applause-worthy to remain a grain of wheat riding high on a stalk, catching the breeze and soaking up the spotlights. Sure, playing it safe on that stalk might get you elected to public office, but it will never get you to the empty tomb. The Christian MUST fall, and the Christian MUST die, because resurrection power only shows up where burial actually happens.

The life of St Lawrence reflected this call of Jesus. A call to give all of oneself. St. Lawrence was born in 225 AD and lived during the early years of the Church. He experienced the harsh persecution of Christians under Roman Emperor Valerian. To this day, little is known about the details of St. Lawrence’s life. However, we do know the Church holds him in high esteem and that his holy example was formative in the early years of the Church. Stories of St. Lawrence include his direct opposition to Emperor Valerian and his love for the true treasures of Christ’s Church and His people; the poor.

Saint Lawrence was one of seven deacons who were in charge of giving help to the poor and the needy. The word “deacon” comes from the Greek word, “diakonos,” which means “servant” or “helper.” Sacred Scripture recounts how deacons served the needs of widows in the early Church (see Acts 6:1-6). Thus, as a deacon, St. Lawrence’s life was dedicated to serving the poor and needy.

When persecution broke out, Pope St. Sixtus was condemned to death. As he was led to execution, Lawrence followed him weeping, “Father, where are you going without your deacon?” he said. “I am not leaving you, my son,” answered the Pope. “In three days, you will follow me.”

Lawrence was the custodian of the material goods of the Church and was responsible for the distribution of alms to the poor. Lawrence knew he would be arrested just like the Pope and knowing the hatred of the Emperor towards the Christians especially to those who owned property, he began to give it all away. He gathered the poor, the widows and the orphans and gave them all the money he had, selling even the sacred vessels of the altar believing the clear admonition of the Saviour that the poor were blessed and especially loved by Him.

Emperor Valerian heard the news. He imagined that the Christians must be having a considerable treasure. Valerian wanted the treasure to satisfy his unbridled lust for worldly power. He offered Lawrence a way out of sure death. If he would show him where the Church’s great gold and silver were located, he would issue an order of clemency, sparing his life so that he could continue his work.

Lawrence asked for three days to collect the ‘wealth’ of the Church. Valerian thought the Church had a great fortune hidden away. So, he ordered Lawrence to bring the Church’s treasure to him. For three days, Lawrence went throughout the city and invited all the beloved poor, handicapped, and misfortunate to come together.

When Valerian arrived, Lawrence presented him with the true gold and silver of the Church, the poor! The emperor was filled with rage! Beheading was not enough for this Christian Deacon. He condemned Lawrence to a slow, cruel death. He ordered that Lawrence be burned alive, in public, on a griddle. Witnesses recorded the public martyrdom.

The Saint was tied on top of an iron grill over a slow fire that roasted his flesh little by little, but Lawrence was burning with so much love of God that he almost did not feel the flames. God gave him so much strength and joy that he even joked. “Turn me over,” he said “I’m done on this side!” And just before he died, he said, “It’s cooked enough now.”

Even at the brink of death, his peaceful joy shone through. In Scripture, “joy” is listed as a fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23), and St. Lawrence certainly possessed this joy! The comedians of today can take a page out of the creator of the ‘roast’. Before his death, he prayed that the city of Rome might be converted to Jesus and that the Catholic faith might spread all over the world. After that, he went to receive the martyr’s reward.

Lawrence died on August 10, 258. His feast spread throughout Italy and northern Africa. Emperor Constantine built a beautiful basilica in Lawrence’s honour. St. Lawrence is among the saints mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer at Mass. He is the patron saint of schoolchildren, the poor, cooks and comedians to name but a few.

Let me end with this. Not all grains that fall into the earth die. Most will remain that single grain that collectively will be consumed by someone as food and some might argue that they still ‘serve’ a cause by doing that. So, to understand this text we need to place it in its context.

We often mistake being busy, productive, or “good” for being fully surrendered. A grain of wheat that gets ground into bread still performs a functional, noble service, it feeds someone. In the same way, we can live lives that are incredibly helpful to our families, our companies, and our communities, yet still remain completely whole, unchanged, and independent of God.

Jesus uses this context to show us that there is a massive difference between consumption and multiplication. When we allow ourselves to be consumed by the world, we are used up until there is nothing left, leaving only the memory of a single grain. But when we choose the burial of surrender, dying to our comfort, our control, and our reputation, we unlock a supernatural blueprint. God doesn’t want you to just be a ingredient in someone else’s temporary fulfillment; He wants to bury you so that your life produces a harvest that outlives you.

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Friday, 18th week in ordinary time, 7th August 2026 – Matthew 16:24-28

Stop shopping for a discounted Gospel. You see, we love the retail version of Jesus, the one where we swipe our faith and instantly walk out with a bag full of blessing, favor, and comfort. We want the crown, but we are terrified of the heavy lifting. We treat the Bible like a Spotify playlist, skipping straight to Philippians 4:13 and John 3:16 because they feel like a warm blanket. But God didn’t call you to get comfortable; He called you to get conformed to the image of His Son. Look at Matthew 16:24. Jesus doesn’t say, “If anyone wants to follow me, let them live their best life, grab a latte, and slide into destiny.” No! He says, “DENY THEMSELVES, TAKE UP THEIR CROSS, and follow me.”

Our text of today needs a bit of context. Jesus didn’t come to protect the religious status quo; He came to completely crash it. He offended the Jerusalem elite, (15:1) walked straight into enemy territory to praise the raw faith of a pagan outsider, (15:28).  and then fed thousands while refusing to audition for His critics, labeling them an inflated, hollow “evil generation.” (16:4) He stripped away all that religious noise and dragged His disciples to Caesarea Philippi, a place packed with pagan idols, to ask the ultimate question of identity, forcing them to look past the yeast of the Pharisees (16:6) and finally see Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. (15:16)

Think about this; Jesus will always bypass your religious credentials to get to your raw dependency. He’s intentionally breaking the rules to build your faith. Jesus shattered traditional comfort zones and offended the religious elite to clear a path for raw, unfiltered revelation.

 From now on Jesus will begin his journey to Jerusalem. Mathew 16:2 tells us that “from that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he MUST go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised from the dead.” But this truth was hard for Peter and perhaps the rest to accept. Peter attempts to dissuade the Lord and as a consequence faces his ire. To his shock, he is called satan for he has become a stumbling block with his mind set on human things. Peter went from getting the keys to the Kingdom to being called the enemy because you can’t protect your comfort zone and fulfill your calling at the same time.

It is in this context that Matthew 16:24 must be read. Jesus dropped Matthew 16:24 like a holy grenade because He wasn’t just walking to His cross, He was establishing the baseline for yours! We constantly chase the crown while dodging the crucifixion, but you cannot negotiate with a call to die to yourself. Stop protecting your comfort zone and start picking up your cross.

 Let’s be honest with ourselves: God is not in the business of conscription; He is looking for willing companions. Our baptism beautifully opens the door and welcomes us into the family of Christ, but a seat at the table is never a forced contract. After all, let’s not forget that even Satan had a VIP spot in heaven and deliberately chose to walk out!

Our entire spiritual walk hinges on that one tiny, sharp word from the lips of Jesus: “IF.” If anyone wants to follow me. Following Jesus is an entirely free choice, but it is not a buffet where you can pick and choose your favorite bits. You cannot subscribe to the consolations and sweet blessings while completely opting out of the daily burdens and sacrifices. If you choose to sit at His table, you accept the entire menu, cross and all!

Too often, Christians have their basket of cherry-picked teachings of Christ. Such Christians must be called out for they are nothing but the agents of satan, who like their master ‘deceive’ others into their brand of convenient Christianity.

True discipleship demands a cross, and that cross demands you execute your ego. But we live in a culture that worships the unholy trinity of Me, Myself, and I, completely intoxicated by a counterfeit gospel called “self-actualization.” The world tells you to push people out of the way, demand your rights, and call it “assertiveness.” Let’s call it what it really is: it’s not assertiveness; it’s aggressiveness. It is a diabolical marketing campaign designed to make your pride look like progress. But the kingdom of God operates on a totally different currency: while the world tells you to assert yourself, Jesus tells you to deny yourself. You will never step into the fullness of who God made you to be, until you stop trying to market the monster He called you to crucify.

 Discipleship is never a passive inheritance; it requires a deliberate, daily choice to lift a heavy beam. There is a fascinating nuance in the text that we often gloss over. Christ does not say, “Patiently endure whatever random cross happens to be dumped upon you.” No, He says, “Take up your cross,” and in the Gospel of Luke, it is refined to “THE cross.” You see, we are not being asked to carry a custom, lightweight replica. There is only one true cross—the very one Jesus carried to Golgotha.

We often make the mistake of taking our minor human trivialities, our petty grievances, and our self-inflicted headaches, and consoling ourselves with the pious thought that we are sharing in His sacred suffering. Let us be honest: that is an insult to the crucifixion. For the early community of Matthew, the reality was stark and unmistakable. There was no room for metaphor. Christ was asking them to be entirely ready to lay down their actual lives, just as He did. If your discipleship doesn’t cost you your comfort zone, you aren’t carrying His cross; you’re just carrying your own baggage.

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