The Texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to consider the depth of commitment that we are exhorted to exhibit to be ambassadors for Christ in our communities.
The reading from the Book of Deuteronomy declares God’s Fidelity and Love.
* [4:24] A jealous God: Hebrew ’el qanna. The root of the adjective qanna expresses the idea of intense feeling focused on solicitude for someone or something; see, e.g., Ps 69:10; Sg 8:6; Is 9:6; 37:32; Ez 39:25. The Septuagint translated the adjective as zelotes, and the Vulgate followed suit; hence the traditional English rendering “jealous” (and sometimes “zealous”) found in the Douai-Rheims and King James versions. In modern usage, however, “jealous” denotes unreasonable, petty possessiveness, a meaning, even as nuance, wanting in the Hebrew. In the first commandment (5:6–10; Ex 20:2–6) and passages derived from it (like 4:24; 6:15; Ex 34:14; Jos 24:19; Na 1:2), Israel’s God is represented as totally committed to his purpose, and Israel is put on notice to take him and his directives for their life as a people with equal seriousness. (Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 77 proclaims the story of how God brought the people into existence.
* [Psalm 77] A community lament in which the speaker (“I”) describes the anguish of Israel at God’s silence when its very existence is at stake (Ps 77:2–11). In response the speaker recites the story of how God brought the people into existence (Ps 77:12–20). The question is thus posed to God: Will you allow the people you created to be destroyed? (Psalms, PSALM 77 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus presents The Conditions of Discipleship.
* [16:24–28] A readiness to follow Jesus even to giving up one’s life for him is the condition for true discipleship; this will be repaid by him at the final judgment.
* [16:24] Deny himself: to deny someone is to disown him (see Mt 10:33; 26:34–35) and to deny oneself is to disown oneself as the center of one’s existence.
* [16:25] See notes on Mt 10:38, 39.
* [16:27] The parousia and final judgment are described in Mt 25:31 in terms almost identical with these.
* [16:28] Coming in his kingdom: since the kingdom of the Son of Man has been described as “the world” and Jesus’ sovereignty precedes his final coming in glory (Mt 13:38, 41), the coming in this verse is not the parousia as in the preceding but the manifestation of Jesus’ rule after his resurrection; see notes on Mt 13:38, 41. (Matthew, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB, n.d.)
Angela Maynard witnesses disciples at work daily.
I’m a registered nurse. I’ve watched caregivers and colleagues give of themselves continually to care for God’s precious ones. In my current role, I work with people who have intellectual or developmental disability or complex medical situations. These people are often marginalized by other people and systems in our world. Often the very fact that they were brought into this world and continue to live is questioned. This is where the discipleship comes in. There is a village made up of family members, caregivers, friends, and advocates who work tirelessly to care for, serve and protect the dignity and rights of these incredible humans. I watch them put the needs of others ahead of their own routinely. They are following the ways of Jesus and I have a front row seat to what this involves. Some days, it’s absolutely devastating, other days, it’s glorious and there are big wins. These are every day people who I believe are saints on earth. (Maynard, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes Walk as Christ has walked, by Caesarius of Arles (470-543 AD)
"When the Lord tells us in the Gospel that anyone who wants to be his follower must renounce himself, the injunction seems harsh; we think he is imposing a burden on us. But an order is no burden when it is given by one who helps in carrying it out. To what place are we to follow Christ if not where he has already gone? We know that he has risen and ascended into heaven; there, then, we must follow him. There is no cause for despair - by ourselves we can do nothing, but we have Christ's promise... One who claims to abide in Christ ought to walk as he walked. Would you follow Christ? Then be humble as he was humble. Do not scorn his lowliness if you want to reach his exaltation. Human sin made the road rough. Christ's resurrection leveled it. By passing over it himself, he transformed the narrowest of tracks into a royal highway. Two feet are needed to run along this highway; they are humility and charity. Everyone wants to get to the top - well, the first step to take is humility. Why take strides that are too big for you - do you want to fall instead of going up? Begin with the first step, humility, and you will already be climbing." (excerpt from SERMONS 159, 1.4-6) (Schwager, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the texts of today. The Deuteronomy reading offers the theme that the people have to choose. It presents the good things of Moses despite being a small nation. The two paths of the Commandments and Death are compared. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus begins to explain that to save our life we have to lose it after Peter is told to get behind Him, tempting Jesus not to carry His cross. The small things saying no and sometimes embracing the Will of God when difficult are part of carrying our Cross. Friar Jude notes the difficulties in interpreting Jesus' exhortation that “Some would not taste death”. Not sure ? the end coming soon? A belief at the time? Always be ready! Jesus really doesn’t know? Or His Resurrection, the dawning of the Kingdom ? Not clear?
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, teaches that to become wise, we must move into life itself, encountering people and places that challenge our ways of thinking.
To get a real grasp of the gospel’s truth, we have to cross over and enter into solidarity with at least one person who’s different from us. For example, if we’re afraid of a different culture or religion, then we’d best head in that direction. If a certain set of people scare us, then we have to get to know them. For a while, we have to endure being with people who live or think differently and learn to view reality from their standpoint. Jesus says we have to love our enemies, because doing so is the only way to grasp the whole picture. It’s the only way to learn to love the other side of our own soul.
We can’t try to solve it with our minds; we simply must act. The problem isn’t solved in the head but in the gut, in the whole body (including the head, but that doesn’t come until later). That’s what I mean when I speak of the risk and leap of faith. This is a very Franciscan approach to life. St. Bonaventure and Duns Scotus put love as prior to knowledge, probably building on Francis’ own headlong dive into life. First, we agree to give ourselves, and then we will understand, not the other way around. Otherwise, we get caught in all kinds of protective reasons why we don’t need to give ourselves to life and we never make the dive. (Rohr, n.d.)
We are nudged by the Spirit when we witness the level of self denial and service that some of our friends and family give, in the manner of Christ, to take up our cross in the work of love, mercy, and compassion.
References
Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/4?32
Matthew, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/16?24
Maynard, A. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-8-2025
Psalms, PSALM 77 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/77?12
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/wisdom-in-action/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=aug8
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