(Luke 9:18-24)

Heroes and  role models  have an important place in our lives. We not only  admire  them, we also  desire to become like them. We want to align ourselves with their identity. We want to take upon ourselves their qualities  and  ability.

The  world of advertising  understands this natural human inclination very well. It is no wonder that the presence of movie stars, athletes, and celebrities becomes one of the pillars of product promotion.

Jesus knew  that many people especially his disciples,  saw him as a role model. He was called Rabbi, Good Teacher, a Prophet, and Master. Jesus knew that the disciples wanted to become like him in identity and in deed, and  he wondered who they thought he was. And so Jesus asked,  “Who do you say that I am?”

It was a  crucial question  for Jesus to ask. He knew he was going to die on the cross. He wanted to know before he went, if there was anyone  who had really understood who he was. He had been with the disciples for three years, teaching them. Now it is of the utmost importance to know  whether they have gotten the point.

Peter  answered for the rest,  “You are the Messiah, the Holy One of God.”

At this  Jesus instructed them not to call him by this name. He had much to do before they could call him such.

The twelve discovered the fact; they also discovered what the fact meant. They had grown up with the traditional expectation of the triumphant Messianic King, who would lead them to conquer the whole world.

Peter’s eyes probably  glowed with excitement  when he said, “You are the anointed one of God.” But Jesus told his disciples “Whoever wishes to be my follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day, and follow in my steps.”  (Matt. 16: 24)

There could be no doubt about it. To become one with Christ demands that a person  become one with the mission of Christ.

The question posed by Jesus to his disciples is a question, which must be answered by each one of us, “Who do you say that I am?”

Who we believe Christ to be. We must be clear about the  identity of Christ in our lives, because as followers of Christ,  we will be striving to be like our role model. If we focus on Christ as model and guide, we will  accept his leadership  and  our own call to lead others to Christ.

We proudly carry the name  Christian.  We want  to identify ourselves with Christ.  And so when Christ asks today,  “Who do you say that I am?” We must answer him. For  who we believe Christ to be is how  we will strive to become. What we believe  Christ’s mission to be is the mission we will strive to accomplish.

When Peter tells Jesus  that he is the Christ, Peter is also stating that  apart from Jesus no other Messiah is to be expected. Does  our own faith sufficiently say to the world that Christ has come, that we should no longer expect another one? Without being too aware of it, are we not often expecting the coming of someone (political or religious leader) who will bring in a golden age  for the whole land, who will abolish taxes, double our income, rebuild everything new, make religion easy, eliminate all suffering? But  such dreams are dangerous,  for they  make ordinary life heavier instead of giving us the courage to transform it.

Jesus’ call is a call to people  to help him transform the world into the kind of place that  God had in mind when He created it.

Jesus tells his followers that  the task won’t be easy. “If anyone wishes to come after me,”  he says, “he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”  (Luke 9: 23-24) And since the day that Jesus spoke those words, millions of men and women have accepted his invitation.

The Messiah has already come;  we must not expect another one. This Messiah did not want to transform the world in a moment, like a magician, letting us play the role of passive spectators just watching the happenings. He wanted  to enter completely into the sufferings of the world, bear our sicknesses, and our sorrows. And he  invites us to actively become other messiahs like him.

Today, Jesus is still putting out a call for followers to join him in his work. Today, he is still saying to men and women – “anyone who wishes to come after me, he must … take up his cross daily and follow me.”

And today, people are still answering Jesus’ call to work for the spread of his Father’s kingdom on earth.

This is what we celebrate the Holy Mass. We celebrate the fact that  there is in every human heart tremendous  goodness  and  generosity  – a goodness and generosity that we tend to forget about. We celebrate the fact that  when the right person  comes along  with right challenge,  he will  strike a chord in us; and  we will respond with goodness and generosity.

We celebrate the fact that  you and I have heard the call of Jesus and  have responded to it.

Jesus knew what he was doing when he asked for volunteers to help him.

He knew that what our world needs most today is  not great minds  – we have plenty of them –  what we need is great hearts. He knew that what our world needs most today is  not great knowledge  – we have plenty of that –  what we need is great dedication. He knew that what our world needs most today is  not great power  – we have all we need –  what we need is faith.

Cardinal Duval once pointed out: “No matter how beautifully expressed, abstract ideas rarely move people. But let a person come forward, a living person, capable of speaking to the heart, let truth flow from the person’s life, And let the person’s power be matched by an equal gift of love. Then [my brothers and sisters], the dawn of better days… will brighten our skies.”

This is what we celebrate in the Holy Mass.