Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul
Chapter nine of Luke’s Gospel presents Jesus giving his Apostles a share in his mission of healing and teaching. Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah marks a turning point in the Gospel, as Jesus then begins to predict his Passion. As the Son of Man, he must suffer and die. All who wish to follow him must also take up their cross. We witness in Luke’s Gospel the disciples struggling to understand who Jesus is and to grasp his mission. We, too, often struggle to comprehend and enter in. Luke masterfully helps us to recognize Jesus as both the suffering Son of Man and the glorious Son of God. All who would follow him must embrace him in the fullness of his identity. Today, let us pray that our eyes and ears might be opened more and more to better understand our Lord and for a willing spirit to follow him.
Today’s text is best understood in its context (Luke 9:37-50) in which four related incidents highlight the disciples’ need for further growth and training. The disciples’ responses in this passage illustrate their inability to fulfill their mission at that moment in time, and their lack of comprehension of Jesus’ mission. It’s no wonder that they’re bewildered – so much is being thrown at them, so to speak, from the stunning wonder of Jesus’ miracles to the solemn and frightening pronouncement of his upcoming Passion.
I find it helpful to pick up the beginning of verse 43, as we consider today’s passage. (This verse immediately follows the account of Jesus delivering a boy from demon possession.) “And all were astonished by the majesty of God. While they were all amazed at his every deed, he said to his disciples, ‘Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.’” Immediately prior to this miraculous account, Peter, James, and John were privy to Jesus’ Transfiguration. In these short verses, we see the majesty of God and the Suffering Servant presented together in the person of Jesus. He is indeed both the Suffering Son of Man and the Glorious Son of God. No contradiction; no either/or. We read, “But they [the disciples] did not understand . . .”
Often, we do not understand, either. I invite us to pause for a moment and meditate on Jesus as the Suffering Son of Man. What images come to your mind and imagination? What feelings or emotions are stirred up in your heart? What might you want to say to him? Now, let us consider Christ as the Glorious Son of God. What impressions arise within you? What feelings are evoked? What words form on your lips? Do you find yourself feeling drawn to our Lord more as the Suffering Son of Man or as the Glorious Son of God? With which aspect of him do you most closely identify? When you go to Mass, Adoration, or private prayer, how do you approach Jesus? On which aspect of his mission do you tend to focus? I’ll be honest, it’s often painful and uncomfortable to approach the Suffering Christ. Often, it feels more comfortable to focus on the risen and victorious Christ. How is it for you? Perhaps today’s Gospel can serve to remind us that the Lord whom we worship is both the Suffering Son of Man and the Glorious Son of God. As we approach him in this way, may our love for him grow to a more perfect love that reaches to our neighbor.
As Jesus’ Galilean ministry comes to a close at the end of Luke 9, and he prepares to travel to Jerusalem, perhaps we can identify with his disciples. They needed more formation in order to understand the cost of discipleship and to be equipped for their ultimate mission. We, too, need ongoing formation in order to experience growth in holiness and to be equipped for the mission Jesus entrusted to us. Today, let us consider where we find ourselves on our journey in Christ. I might ask myself, what kinds of formation do I need in order to be better equipped as a disciple? What obstacle(s) might I need to overcome that prevent me from growing and experiencing daily conversion? What is one step I might take in order to experience needed growth and transformation. Let us ask God to reveal to us what we need to know, and let us ask him for the help and grace we need to follow a little more closely after the footsteps of Christ.
I’ll see you in the Eucharist,
Elizabeth Wells