Week 6 of Ordinary Time, Friday – 21st February — Gospel: Mark 8,34-9,1
Discipleship includes Messiahship
The revelation about Messiahship leads to Jesus’ first teaching on the radical demands of discipleship. Having spoken of the suffering he needs to undergo, Jesus gives a teaching in the form of six sayings that describe what it really means to walk in his footsteps. The first saying is the strongest, and sums up the rest (8,34). The choice to be his follower is a personal decision because it is a “wish” of an individual; it doesn’t happen by default or by cultural heritage. This wishfulness must be made with utmost sincerity and resolve. The word “follow” which is emphasized at the beginning and end of the sentence, points out in gist his core teaching: Jesus’ destination, i.e, the cross. The second saying (8,35) flows logically from the first. Jesus’ call to radical self-denial is not mere fatalism, but a Christian paradox that death is the way to the fullness of life. The third and fourth sayings (8,36-37) drawn from commerce – profit, gain, forfeit, exchange – show that Jesus’ claim, though paradoxical, is of great worth. He calls his followers to accept a sensible tradeoff: to accept small short-term losses in exchange for a very great long-term gain. The fifth saying (8,38) explains the motive for turning away from the Gospel: concern for one’s reputation and the fear of human disapproval. The final saying (9,1) is a word of comfort to those who remain loyal to Jesus despite the cost.
