One of my favourite Gospel passages poses a powerful question that I often meditate on, both for myself and in the classes I teach for teens and adults. It’s a question to reflect on regularly, as it’s all too easy to lose sight of Jesus’s significance in our lives. The answer can vary; Jesus may be perceived as a friend, brother, Lord, Saviour, shepherd, leader, companion, or simply someone we’ve heard about.
For example, one teen remarked that Jesus was a “nice man.” But is that all he is? What about being the Son of God — the Divine? Does it truly matter to me if I believe that Jesus is God, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, who came to save me from eternal death by dying on the cross? Does this understanding transform how I live, knowing that this life is an opportunity to deepen my relationship with him and ultimately live eternally in heaven with the Father?
I am reminded of the resurrection. Jesus can be my friend and companion, but he is much more than that. His life teaches me how to live, and his death and resurrection empower me to face my own mortality and the loss of those I love, reassuring me that this is not the final chapter.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus urges us to pick up our crosses and follow him. Are we ready to deny ourselves for the sake of following Jesus? What changes am I being called to make in my life right now? I am grateful for this question’s reminder, not just for the disciples but for all of us: Who do I say Jesus is for me today?
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