Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This gospel can help us a lot today and first of all destroy the demon of moralism that we all have within us. What does moralism mean? It is the belief that with my efforts I can he a Christian. On my own efforts, I can love and forgive and enter into marriage and be a priest or a minister and be just and good. Moralism is to demand always of myself and of others. It is to demand something that only the Holy Spirit can give us. After two months as a priest in a large parish, I thought I had made a mistake. I felt totally alone and never saw the three other priests in the house after 6 PM. I see how the Lord was helping me to realize I could not be a priest only on my strength. I was ready to leave! And because I went to hear a catechesis in a nearby parish did I stick around and little by little I found my place.
Moralism is to demand of the others and of ourselves total freedom, total dominion of ourselves. It is like asking a drug addict to stop doing drugs or an alcoholic to stop drinking. He would like to, but he cannot. He has tried a million times and it is his greatest desire, but he cannot. He is a slave. He cannot do it. He doesn’t have the freedom to stop doing drugs or whatever. It is not a matter of making more of an effort. He/she cannot.
There is one thing that he can buy that will enable him to gain this freedom. But it is a very expensive solution. It is the blood of Christ, the very life of Christ. It was the most expensive gift God could have given us; this freedom was obtained by the blood of his Son. Christianity is the opposite of moralism. We need a community where we can walk for years in order to have the spirit of Christ. It is not about what you do but what Christ does for you.
This gospel helps us to destroy this demon that by ourselves we can give our lives. In those moments when you see that you cannot love or forgive or accept the other, ask the Lord to help you in those moments and to help the others. See the face of Christ in them.
The gospel presents to us two ways: life or death, which one do you want? To gain your life or to lose it. The first reading from Jeremiah gives us a clue. Jeremiah says to God: “You seduced me.” If it was not for the love you showed me, I could never have given up my life. I could not put up with these people unless you first loved me, unconditionally. Jeremiah knows that with God there is no trickery. He loves us, adores us, forgives our sins by giving his blood, his very life. He helps us constantly.
Last week Peter said: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”, but he didn’t understand Christ’s idea of the Messiah. He was told that you are Peter (rock) and on this rock, I will build my Church. The true Messiah is one that gives life for you. He is the one who can free us to love. He allowed the others to kill him, to abuse him and he is silent.
Peter doesn’t understand anything, and Jesus says to him: “Get behind me Satan.” You are always getting in front of me. Peter was called to follow but he thinks he knows better and goes ahead of Christ. We have the same problem. Christ is not there to follow you; you need to follow him; he will not follow you.
Are you the rock to build my Church or are you the rock that is an obstacle, literally that causes me to trip? Which rock are you, Peter? In a matter of fifteen seconds Peter goes from the rock on which Christ will build his Church to the rock that causes Him to trip. And yet Christ always loves Peter. He didn’t make a mistake by choosing Peter. Peter experiences this and knows first-hand this love of Christ; it seduces him. How does Christ respond? He is always patient with his sheep, loving them, forgiving them, leading them.
Do you want to gain your life or lose it? To do want to keep it, conserve it, guard it or to give it away like Christ gave his. The Lord will help you to give your life for the other. He will help you to do something that you cannot do on your own: to stop living for yourself and in doing so you can give your life to those around you. It doesn’t happen in a month or a year or two; it takes a lifetime.