Do Not Run From The Words Of Jesus

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In today’s Gospel, the disciples are amazed at everything Jesus is doing. People are impressed. There is excitement around Him. And right in the middle of all that admiration, Jesus says something they do not want to hear: “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” In other words, while everyone is looking at His power, Jesus points to the Cross. And the Gospel says the disciples did not understand. Even more interesting, “they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.” Maybe that is the real problem – not that they did not understand, but that they were afraid of what understanding might require.

There are moments in our own faith when Jesus says something we would rather not hear. Forgive that person. Let go of that resentment. Stop living this way. Be faithful even when it costs you. Carry this cross. Trust Me even though you cannot see where I am taking you. We love the words of Jesus that comfort us, but what about the words that disturb us? Sometimes we say, “I don’t understand what God is doing,” when deep down what we really mean is, “I’m afraid of what this might ask of me.” The disciples were not ready for a Messiah who would suffer. And sometimes we are not ready for a Christianity that includes surrender.

Maybe that is why Jesus says, “Pay attention to what I am telling you.” It is almost as if He is saying: Do not rush past this. We can easily rush past the uncomfortable parts of the Gospel. We hear them, but we do not let them reach the heart. We prefer a God who removes every difficulty, answers every question, and makes everything clear. But Jesus never promised us a life without mystery. He promised us His presence in the middle of it. Faith is not understanding everything before we follow. Sometimes faith is following Jesus while still carrying the question.

And notice this: the disciples were afraid to ask. That is such a human response. We can be afraid to bring our real questions to God because we think faith means never doubting, never struggling, never feeling confused. But God is not threatened by our questions. Prayer can sometimes be as simple as saying, “Lord, I do not understand this. I do not like this. I am afraid of this. But help me stay with You.” A mature faith is not a faith that never asks questions. It is a faith that refuses to walk away when the answers are slow in coming.

So perhaps today the invitation is simple: do not run from the difficult word. Stay with Jesus long enough to let Him explain it with your life. There may be something God is asking of you right now that does not make sense. A sacrifice. A waiting. A forgiveness. A change. Do not be afraid to ask Him about it. And do not assume that because you do not understand the road, God has abandoned you on it. The disciples could not understand the Cross when Jesus first spoke about it. Later, they would discover that the very thing they feared was the place where God’s greatest love would be revealed.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes Your ways confuse me, and sometimes Your words ask more of me than I want to give. Give me the courage not to run from what is difficult. Teach me to bring You my questions, my fears, and my uncertainty. When I cannot understand Your plan, help me trust Your heart. And when the road becomes difficult, keep me close to You. Amen.

– Homily by Rev. Fr. Patrick Agbeko