Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time – 30th August 2026
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today’s Gospel comes immediately after a remarkable moment. Last Sunday, we heard Peter say to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Today, that same Peter struggles to accept what Jesus tells his disciples: that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer, be put to death, and then be raised to life.
Peter loves Jesus. And perhaps that is exactly why he cannot accept the idea of the Cross. He says, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” In a way, we understand Peter. None of us wants the Cross. When we pray, we often ask God to take away what hurts us: “Lord, heal me. Lord, solve this problem. Lord, protect my family. Lord, take this suffering away.” And there is nothing wrong with those prayers.
But today Jesus teaches us something deeper. There are moments when God does not take the cross away, but gives us the strength to carry it.
Jesus says: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” These words may sound difficult. But Jesus is not telling us to look for suffering. Christianity is not about loving suffering. The Cross means something deeper.
The Cross is love that remains when it would be easier to walk away. The Cross is the mother who stays awake beside her sick child. The Cross is the husband or wife who remains faithfully beside the person they love through illness. The Cross is caring patiently for an elderly parent. The Cross is forgiving when we have been hurt. The Cross is remaining kind when it would be easier to become indifferent. The Cross is continuing to believe even when we do not understand what God is doing.
Sometimes our cross is simply being patient. Listening. Forgiving. Giving someone another chance. Getting up in the morning and carrying on when we are tired. Praying even when we feel nothing. Trusting that God is near even when heaven seems silent.