Fire Burning in My Heart

August 31, 2008

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Rev. Joe McCloskey, S.J.

I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will speak in his name no more. But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it. Jeremiah 20:9

Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2

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. Matthew 16:24-25

Piety

Our Gospel captures the essence of discipleship. I have to be willing to give my life in order to save it. Paul picks up the theme of what Christ is talking about when he challenges us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. Piety transforms our minds so that we may discern the will of God. Jeremiah sees himself as duped by the Lord because he finds himself an object of laughter. Christ reveals to the disciples that he has to go up to Jerusalem and suffer greatly. Piety challenges us to go up to Jerusalem with Christ and if necessary suffer with him. It is a tough invitation by Christ to discipleship. We have to be willing to be fools for his sake. He tells us if we want to be his disciples, we have to take up our crosses in life and follow him.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/083108.shtml

Study of the cross of Christ becomes prayer as we realize that what Christ is going through, he is doing so out of love for us. How can I let someone die for me if I am not willing to do the same? Love is what it is all about. Love is the willingness to give one's life for the sake of another. We are called to be Christ for each other. Studying the cross of Christ in our own lives gives a different meaning to the inconveniences of life and we see how we can help others. The cross is found in all the ways we have a chance to die to ourselves and our own preferences for the sake of what another needs. The happiness we give to others open our lives to the joy Paul talks about in Col, 1, 24 when he speaks about his happiness in being able to fill up what is wanting to the sufferings of Christ's body, his church. We truly save our lives by giving them away for others.

Action

Our actions speak louder than our words. We fall into some jobs that fit our personalities when we have the chance to do things that are their own reward. It is when we reach beyond ourselves for the sake of others that we learn how to live the love of Christ. Selflessness replaces selfishness when we make another's needs our own. To love our
neighbor as our self is the fullness of wisdom. Happiness flows out of what we do for the sake of others. Christ says to us: “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” We are called and we are chosen to make this holy offering of ourselves. It will bring us the life of Christ as our very own. The reward will be given in heaven according to our conduct as we live our lives for those who need us. Then we will hear Christ saying to us that we think as God does, not as human beings do. We will save our lives by losing them for the sake of others. The time and the energy we put out to make a better world begins in what we do for each other.