"Accepting the way of the cross."
We renew our commitment to follow him, to go with Him wherever He goes.

We know that following Jesus also means accepting the way of the cross. 

 

The First Martyrs of the Church of Rome

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Genesis 18:16-33

The men went away

And turned towards Sodom. Abraham walked with them to set them on their way.

And the Lord said, "Can I conceal from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham, in fact,

is going to become a great and powerful nation and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed,

for I have chosen him to command his sons and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord

by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."

 

Then the Lord said, "How great is the cry for justice against Sodom and Gomorrah! And how grievous is their sin!

I am going down to see if they have done all that they are charged with in the outcry that has reached me. If it is not so, I will know."

The men with him turned away and went towards Sodom, but the Lord remained standing before Abraham.

Abraham went forward and said, "Will you really let the just perish with the wicked? Perhaps there are fifty good people in the town.

 

Are you really going to let them perish? Would you not spare the place for the sake of these fifty righteous people?

It would not be at all like you to do such a thing and you can't let the good perish with the wicked,

nor treat the good and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the judge of all the earth be just?"

The Lord said, "If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

 

Abraham spoke up again, "I know that I am very bold to speak like this to my Lord, I who am only dust and ashes!

But perhaps the number of the good is five less than fifty. Will you destroy the town because of five?"

The Lord replied, "I will not destroy the town if I find forty-five good people there." Again Abraham said to him,

"Perhaps there will be only forty." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." Abraham went on, saying,

"May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak. Maybe only thirty good people will be found in the town."

 

The Lord answered, "I will not destroy it if I find thirty there." Abraham said,

"Now that I have been so bold as to speak to my Lord, what if only twenty can be found?"

He said, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy the place."

But Abraham insisted, "May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more.

What if only ten can be found?" And the Lord answered, "For the sake of ten good people,

I will not destroy Sodom." When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left and Abraham went home.

 

Ps 103:1b-2, 3-4, 8-9, 10-11 The Lord is kind and merciful.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

Matthew 8:18-22

When Jesus saw the crowd pressing around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.

A teacher of the law approached him; and said, "Master, I will follow you wherever you go."

Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

Another disciple said to him, "Lord, let me go and bury my father first." But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

Reflection:

"Accepting the way of the cross."

Today's readings and feast highlight aspects of bravery in the spiritual life. We are called to a holy boldness or daring.

Abraham shows this by repeatedly pleading for mercy for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.

This is not arrogance on the part of Abraham. He knows that he is "dust and ashes" before the majesty of God,

but he trusts in God's loving care. This boldness of trust and honesty should be the bedrock of our conversational prayer with the Lord.

Christian boldness and daring also expresses itself as bravery in the face of trial or persecution.

Christ tells the first disciples that the choice to be a disciple does not guarantee comfort.

 

Indeed, the way of the disciple necessarily includes accepting the way of the cross. We see this especially in the lives of the martyrs.

The first martyrs of Rome suffered greatly at the orders of the emperor Nero,

who mercilessly persecuted the Christian community for his own cruel entertainment and

for the purposes of finding a scapegoat he could blame for the great fire that was possibly started at his command.

May the martyrs help us to grow in boldness before God and in bravery before men.