Jesus said to his disciples: "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

 

At that time, 24 Jesus said to his disciples: "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his life? What can anyone give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not see death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." — Word of Salvation. Reflection At first, Jesus seduced those who were supposed to remain with Him during His walk on earth and forever. Multitudes followed Him for a time, but were unable to remain in His demands. A much smaller group, almost insignificant in the face of a highly organized society dictated by a tremendously strong religiosity and inhumane politics, resisted everything and everyone to continue on the side of a Jesus, called the Messiah, but according to the messianic mentality of their context. Jesus attracted them with His authority, miracles, cordiality, security in His words, strength against physical and spiritual evil and over nature. In fact, Jesus was different. Those who dreamed of messianic rule were now enchanted by the One who could truly be the one sent to liberate and build peace for those people. The same term “enchantment” can also be used for the prophet Jeremiah who allowed himself to be seduced by God: “You seduced me, and I let myself be seduced; you took hold of me and subdued me!” (Jer 20:7). The prophet accuses God of seduction and arrogance towards him, but, without strength, he is unable to resist the Lord’s appeals or His Word. Such surrender has serious consequences. Jeremiah had a mission involved in violence and oppression, but not only that, because he also made his calling a proclamation of the wonders of the Word in his life. It is true that he felt fear and a desire to renounce that life of rejection that he was going through, but he was, in addition to being bold, a man of total trust. Based on this example of the prophet Jeremiah, it is possible to see in Jesus’ coexistence with His disciples, which at first was only charm, infatuation. And the consequences of this intimacy?

“Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law, and that he must be killed and be raised on the third day.” Going to Jerusalem to build the new man, free from the traps of the powerful of this world. The new man is opposed by those who formed the Sanhedrin, involved in the logic of power. On the other hand, Jesus presents himself as a lamb. Matthew emphasizes Jerusalem as the place of salvation and raises some theologically important points for understanding the true Messiah, his mission, living conditions, understanding of the disciples and missionary demands. The text is based on the announcement of Jesus’ passion. In the synoptics, the announcement of the Lord’s passion appears five times, some more developed and others more brief, for example: Mark 8:31-33; 9:30-32; and 10:32-34 (more developed announcements) and Mark 9:9; Matthew 17:9, - at the end of the transfiguration narrative - as well as Mark 14:41; Matthew 26:45 –- and Luke 9:44 (brief) – in the context of Gethsemane. Who will stand in the way of Jesus’ mission? The elders (aristocrats from Jerusalem, guardians of tradition and large landowners in Israel, who were also part of the Sanhedrin: the supreme court. In addition, they represented money and formed the basis of the Sadducees), the high priests (also aristocrats, in this case representing the priestly caste, and were also part of the Sadducee party) and the doctors of the Law (an intellectual class, the majority of whom belonged to the Pharisees’ party, holders of the power of knowledge according to their ideologies. Considered to be men who “own” the truth and shape public opinion – they form the judiciary). In addition to these, anyone who supports the existing messianic mentality, that is, political messianism, presents themselves as a serious obstacle to Jesus, as a temptation to be overcome by the Master. Combating this mentality is a necessity, which will have serious consequences for both Jesus and His disciples.