Come after me

"Come after me", these words summarize my identity. First, Jesus calls me to have a relationship with Him. Then, Jesus sends me to be like Him, a person who is for others.
Working for God's Kingdom is good, and Jesus wants us to engage on this. But it is a consequence, a natural result of an experience. We are not only workers for the Kingdom; we are part of the Kingdom. And this Kingdom is about recognizing God's presence in our lives.

Peace-bearers

There is always a danger that in our passion to promote peace we could resort to means that are contrary to what we are workingfor. Of course we want to see results, nay, we are impatient to see results, and in our haste to see them we, sort of, force the issue, we use shortcuits. But shortcuts often boomerang on us.
In today's Gospel Jesus sends out his disciples. Among his recommendations, Jesus tells them to bring peace wherever they go. Should the place where they go choose not to accept that peace, it doesn't mean that the disciples have failed. The peace that they have offered to others will always come back to them.
We will never have peace by forcing the issue. To give to others the gift of peace is to allow them to accept it or to refuse it. But whatever their response is, it will never take away the peace in our heart. In doing this we may not see the end to global issues of peace, but we will be planting seeds of peace in the heart. In the long run, and maybe we won't see this in our lifetime, this is the only way to peace in the world.

Among you this is not to happen

In these words Jesus clearly shows that His disciples are to follow another criteria, not that of the world: to serve, to be the last, to give one's life for others. May all Christians take this seriously. It will surely change the world.
This reminds me that the spiritual journey is never accomplished once and for all. When I think that I am already in place, that should make me worry. But it isn't also an egoistic search for self-perfection.
To follow Jesus is to focus my eyes on Jesus, not on myself.

That which makes you suffer

That which makes you suffer can make you grow.
In last Thursday's Gospel Jesus clearly says that whoever wishes to follow Him must take up one's cross. Yes, not any cross but "the" cross that is ours.
One thing I know about the cross is that it makes us suffer. It doesn't give us a fuzzy, cozy, comfy feeling; so we'd rather say, "no, thanks."
Another thing I know about the cross is, we don't choose it. Otherwise, we could so easily change plans.
There are normal everyday crosses of life which are the little disturbances and inconveniences.
There are also the big crosses that sign a certain call to conversion. They don't come often. In fact, they come when we least expect them.
But in whatever form the cross comes, as a follower of Jesus, I am not to run away. it is my way, the only way to grow.
As St. Paul said, "the cross is the wisdom of God."

The cross is part of a Christian's life

Pope Francis gave a very spontaneous homily yesterday when he celebrated Holy Mass with the Cardinals at the Sistine Chapel. They say that what comes out spontaneously from our mouths express what is in the heart, or what we truly hold dear. In this homily Pope Francis reminds us that we cannot be Christians without the cross. He said his homily in Italian and this is my translation of the part where he speaks about the cross:
"This Gospel continues with a special situation. Peter who has just confessed Jesus as the Christ now tells him: You are Christ, the Son of the living God. I will follow you, but let us not talk about the cross. That talk doesn't fit in here. I will follow you wherever, but without the cross.
When we walk without the Cross, when we build anything but without the Cross, and when we confess a Christ without the Cross, we are not disciples of the Lord: we are worldly, we may be Bishops, priests, Cardinals, Popes, but not disciples of the Lord."

Well said, Pope Francis.
So when we do not encounter contradictions and sufferings in life, let us be worried because we might not be following the true God.