Homily for 24th Sunday in OT/Sept. 13

Where are you going my little one?
Where are you going my baby my own?
Turn around and you are two
Turn around and you are four
Turn around and you're a young girl going out of the door.

I reflect today on these lyrics as Wendy and I prepare to visit our "baby" in her new apartment in Baton Rouge on her 20th birthday. In many ways, this birthday and this time in her life is a major turning point for her. She is making plans for her future.

We all experience turning points in our lives and the lives of those we love. Whether it is starting school, changing careers, planning for married life, starting a family, moving far from home; we all have been through turning points.

As people of faith, have we reached a turning point in our relationship with Jesus Christ?

These few verses near the end of Mark's 8th chapter represent a turning point in the public ministry of Jesus. Up to now, Jesus has been traveling from city to town to village teaching, healing and sharing the good news of the kingdom of God. Along the way he has chosen his apostles and developed a following. In today's Gospel he reaches the community of Caesarea Philippi, about as far northeast as one can travel in the Palestinian territory. It is in this far away location that Jesus decides to question the apostles. Who do you say that I am? He apparently directs this question to them as a group. And here we have Peter, acting as the spokesman, answering for the group: "You are the Christ"!

This seems like a huge turning point for Peter. But wait, there will be more. Jesus does not deny the truth of of Peter's response but does ask them to tell no one. Now here comes the beginning of the turning point in Jesus' ministry. Far to the north and the east, Jesus shares the truth of the upcoming events in Jerusalem. I will suffer, I will be rejected, I will be killed but I will rise after 3 days. Imagine just for a moment hearing this news personally from someone you love; from someone you spend all your time with. Peter reacts as most of us would. He wants to hear nothing of Jesus being killed. So Jesus, never wanting to be turned away from the will of his Father, tells Peter: "get behind me Satan".

Jesus is making clear the cost of discipleship: deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. Remember, this is a turning point in the mission of Jesus. Immediately after this passage, Jesus and his followers begin the long journey back to Jerusalem and all that awaits him. Jesus clearly is telling his followers and all of us; you too must travel this road with me.

What does our self denial, our cross and our following Jesus look like? Where are we in assessing our turning point in following Christ? Who do we say he his? Are we interested in the warmth and glow only of being a follower? Do we celebrate the Easter victory without embracing the cross? Would Jesus be pleased with our discipleship or would we hear: get behind me Satan? This is our turning point today!

I reflected personally on this Gospel because of the wonderful prison ministry entrusted to me. Like the geography of this Gospel, I travel to the far northeastern corner of our Archdiocese to bring Christ to prisoners. I bring his love and his desire that they repent and be saved. Believe me, I have seen many a man turn his life around and come to Jesus. And I have seen the face of Jesus on the inside of that prison.

And on the northeast corner of Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. and Terpsichore St. in New Orleans is Cafe' Reconcile. Here, inner city at-risk youth are able to turn their lives around by a program of work, education and spiritual enrichment. Believe me, here many youth turn their life around and learn of Jesus' love for them.

When Jesus asks us to take up our cross and follow him, he is asking us to love him and our brothers and sisters in need. Remember our 2nd reading today from James: if someone has nothing to wear and no food to eat, do we wish them well, maybe even pray for them, but share nothing for their bodily needs; what good is that? Faith without works is dead! So take up your cross: get involved in ministry; volunteer at the food bank, Habitat, the many local nursing homes and hospitals, just assist a neighbor or friend in need. It might just turn their lives around and own lives as well.

Where are you going my little one?
Where are you going my child, my very own?
Turn around, pick up your cross and come and follow me?
Turn around, lose your life for my sake and you will truly be free!