Matthew 16:21-27; 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

My friend told me this story when she came for a visit last month. There’s this professor; famous, published, often quoted, but feared. He’s that type who knows he’s good. But he has ways of reminding you that he is, ‘yung ganong klase. And you know how people like that can be, right? Takes little to irk them, they’re catty and sarcastic, they don’t hesitate to show that they have more important things to do than entertain your opinion or answer your stupid question, and all that. One day, the professor’s student asked for a deadline extension for his paper. The kid was just recovering from a serious injury. Well, Professor X, true to form, wouldn’t budge. He was catty, sarcastic, and dismissive. After being needlessly lectured, the student finally said, “You know what, professor, you’re a (jerk).” (He actually used another word that begins with an “A,” but it’s not appropriate in church.) Professor X stopped dead, shocked. First time someone had made him aware of what everybody already thought and said of him but were too afraid say: that he may be an accomplished academic, but he was just a big, self-absorbed, arrogant jerk (not the actual word). After telling me the story, my friend said, “This reminds me of what my therapist told me one time: a jerk stays a jerk until somebody says ouch.”

I’ve read and heard today’s Gospel as many times as you have. But funny that it’s only now I notice it: the word “show.” “Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer greatly from (the religious authorities), be killed, and be raised.” Now I’m wondering: how might Jesus have shown that he must go to Jerusalem with full knowledge of the risk of death? Ano, hindi kaya siya mapakali? Lagi kaya siyang balisa? Madalas kaya siyang nakatingin sa malayo na malalim na iniisip? Mabilis kaya siyang mainis? But more importantly, sisters and brothers, what was he thinking of doing in Jerusalem so badly, that it showed? If he was going back there to preach and heal, well, he did that every day, uneventfully. So, nothing extraordinary would’ve shown in Jesus’ behavior if that was the only thing he planned on doing. But he must’ve felt in his bones: this “trip to Jerusalem” wasn’t going to be the parlor game of musical chairs. It might just be his last journey. Now that would’ve shown, wouldn’t it? So, what was he thinking of doing that he knew would likely seal his fate for good? I can only think of one thing: cleansing the Temple. Jesus was going to finally say ouch.

When Jesus marches to Jerusalem, he will carry in his heart all the names and faces of people whom the religious authorities have disregarded, ostracized, separated—all because of their wrong interpretation of God’s Law; their elitist, discriminatory, ritualistic, formalistic, anti-poor, wrong interpretation of God’s Law. What better place to bring the people’s ouch but the Temple? The beating heart of Israel’s faith. The dwelling place of Adonai…which the authorities had long been cashing in on, stealing from, and milking. Kasi ang daming pumapasok na pera at mga alay. But Jesus knows, when he says ouch, no, when he shows his ouch, the holy authorities may just  pounce on him this time, until ouch he can say no more. “Say what you want about us, Jesus of Nazareth,” I could almost hear the Pharisees and Sadducees think, “But don’t you ever touch our money and power.”

I’m not on any social media except maybe the classroom and church which I consider social media anyway. So, I ask my younger Jesuit brothers, “May umaaray na ba sa social media tunkol sa (pagka-inutil) ng mga pinuno natin sa pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin?” “Meron naman, Father. Marami na.” “E d’un sa mga napakong pangako nung eleksyon, at d’un sa Department of Agriculture, the beating heart of the poor’s problems today (or, more like the heart that stopped beating), may nag-che-chest-pain na ba, may umaaray na?” “Meron, Father. Marami na.” I wonder who, like our Lord, is going to finally take one for the team. Who’s going to march to Jerusalem to carry all the poor’s ouches, and take one for the team? Come to think of it, uso pa ba ‘yon, ‘yung taking one for the team? May mga bayani pa ba? That’s what a hero is, ‘di ba? Someone who takes up all the ouches of the poor and the wounded, and takes one for them.

Dear sisters and brothers, you and I are no strangers to taking up our cross, aren’t we? We’ve willingly endured many sacrifices for people, institutions, the vocation we love. But, see, when Jesus said, “whoever wishes to come after me must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me,” he said it during and within a very specific context; the context in which he was about to march up to the holy bullies and say ouch to them and take one for the team. That’s the kind of cross that Jesus was talking about during and within that particular context. In other words, “Sinong gustong sumama?” That was the unsaid question. “Anyone want to come?” “God forbid, Lord, no such thing shall ever happen to you.” So, wala. Walang gustong sumama. Walang gustong sumama para umaray.

When was the last time you had the courage to say your ouch to someone? What happened to you after that? Sharing tayo? May ouch story din ako and boy, the consequences were awful and long-drawn. But the Lord and my closest friends knew I told only the naked truth. Anyway, sisters and brothers, since time immemorial as you can see, a jerk remains a jerk until somebody says ouch. I continue to pray to God: “Please, God, send us an oucher and deliver us from more jerks.”