Be Brave to Carry Your Own Cross

Will you also go away? Peter says, "Lord, to whom we shall go? You have the words of eternal life. We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

The composition of faith in the circle of the apostles after the resurrection of Christ Jesus, leads us to know that there is something that move us in doing our mission. Jesus has leave us a message before He raise up, "Go, and preach the Gospel throughout the world!" What does it mean? It means that each one of us has a responsibility to bring Jesus beyond the periphery of our institutional faith.

The truth is that by Christ's resurrection, our world has already started its renewal. For when the Son of Man entered the Glory of His Father, He carried on His shoulders the whole of creation that He wanted to renew and consecrate. And now, when He came back to His Father House, He promises the Holy Spirit. It will be caring His followers in the future.

We heard that Peter takes the role of Jesus by raising a woman named Tabitha. This miracle is similar to what Jesus did when He was still with His disciples. In the other words, I can say "Tabatha's resurrection is an echo of the Resurrection of Christ, like the raising of Lazarus (John 11) or the widow's son (Luke 7,11)." In this corner, what Peter did, shakes the doubts of many Christians who are living the shadow of uncertainty.

The atmosphere of the heart of the apostles can be described like this: Jesus is died, who can heal those who are sick, who will give us food and who can raise up those who are dying? All of these are the questions of anxieties. The same question for us is appearing hear and now, "If Claret has died, will we stop our mission?" As Claret says "Today, we do a great mission," Jesus also pour out to His followers that His suffering and died fill them by His resurrection. That's why He says, "I will accompany you till the end of the world!" So, don't be panic and scared. Stay with Him.

The same point is underline: BELIEVE. The passage is end with the provoke question from Jesus, "Will you also go away?" Over this question, Peter never gives up. He choose to stay with Jesus when most of the disciples escaped and no longer followed Him. Peter says, "Lord, to whom we shall go? You have the words of eternal life. We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." What Peter deed is a kind of credo -- acknowledges the faith to Jesus.

Prefer to stay with Jesus bear so many consequences. One of the consequence of this discipleship is BE BRAVE TO CARRY OUR OWN CROSS EVERY DAY. But, from the other side of these two readings of today we are also invited to sharp the quality of our class of curiosity. As long the passage there is a short dialog and questions are arise like "Who can accept it?; Does this offend you? Will you also go away? Lord, to whom we shall go?" All of these questions are the part of formation in following Jesus.

If I never ask a question in my journey of my vocation, that's call impure motivation that circle in my vocation. Question means we need something. That is Jesus who will fill the space of our question. We can learn from Peter, or even Mother Mary when she received the message from God. Mother Mary choose to have a dialogue with the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" This kind of dialogue and questions prefer we call the class of faith. And this is the truly character of the followers, disciples or students. So my dear brothers, don't be panic and stay ask the question to sharp the quality of your faith everyday.