A sermon on Matthew 16:24-27
By Fr. Mike Paraniuk
HCP columnist
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." (Matthew 16:24.)
While meditating on this command from Jesus, I stumbled upon a You Tube video about sacrificial love and courageous loyalty...from a cat. A beautiful female tabby cat went out hunting for food like any other day. As it crossed the street a car ran over its back legs, crushing them so severely the cat could only drag its mangled legs. She should have died if it were not for the care of a gray male cat. Day after day, through pain and hardship, he stayed with her – protecting, comforting, and refusing to give up. He never left her side. The gray cat hunted for her. At night he wrapped his body around her for warmth, shielding her from the wind.
Eventually, some kindly cat lovers discovered this devoted couple living in the bushes. They would bring food every day. The gray cat always let his tabby friend eat first. He would eat the scraps that were left over. If it rained the gray cat would place his whole body on top of the female tabby, acting like a feline umbrella to keep her dry.
Humans finally decided to rescue them. They trapped the gray cat in a cage. He screamed out to his friend, making his voice a vocal beacon to guide her to his cage. Hearing his voice the tabby cat dragged her body out of the grass, dragging its broken legs to the cage to be with her beloved who saved her.
Both cats were taken to the hospital. A doctor operated on the tabby's broken legs. After two months she could not just walk again but even run. The doctor adopted both cats where he gave them a forever home. This rescue story teaches that love is more than words. It must be shown through deeds.
The day will come when Jesus will judge you on your deeds. He will judge your deeds in the three important requirements to be a true follower of Jesus. Here they are:
1) You must deny yourself. The Kingdom of Heaven is no place for selfishness. Jesus is the ultimate example of selfless service. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45.)
2) You must take up your cross. When you follow Jesus, the cross will hit you square in the face. You can't avoid it. The goal of taking up the cross is not to glorify suffering. It's about dying to your own will and surrendering to God's will, even if it causes suffering.
3) You must follow Jesus. The path for anyone who desires to follow Jesus is always the path of love. I once met a lady who shared this wonderful experience of seeing Jesus when her heart stopped beating during an operation. She felt her soul "lifted up", traveling very fast through a dark tunnel. This woman was wealthy and in her own words "living a shallow life of selfishness." She enjoyed the perks of rich living without any consideration for others in need. She remembers seeing this brilliant light at the end of her tunnel journey. She described this light as total love.
Standing before its brilliance she thought this must be Jesus but could not see Him due to the bright light. She heard a male speak, asking a question in a voice of deep concern for her. He did not condemn her but asked this one question that seared through her soul, "What have you done to show my love?"
She felt immediate shame because she had done nothing. The next thing she remembered was waking up in the recovery room, hearing the doctor say, "We were lucky to bring her back." This heavenly encounter changed her whole life. She used her wealth to help the poor, even serving food at the Cincinnati soup kitchen bought with her own money.
She told me, "The next time I see Jesus I want to give a good answer to that question."
When I walk the halls of Children's Hospital, I see sacrificial love at its finest. One day you will stand before Jesus who will ask you the same question. Be ready to answer it. Blessings...Fr. Mike
Fr. Mike Paraniuk is a Priest Chaplain at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. His sermons can be heard live over WLRU Radio 106.9 FM on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.