A Reflection from the Fuel Daily Readings App for the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Click here to read the reading.

If Jesus is the King of all Kings, the mighty popular healer of all people and the victorious liberator from sin and death of those who follow him, why wouldn't we follow him?

I'm pretty sure that's what Peter was thinking in following Jesus. And then Jesus warns his disciples upfront about what lies in his future: he will be publicly rejected by the respected people of his time, suffer greatly and be killed. Whoa! This is not what most of us sign up for!

For where our leader goes, so too will we. I'm sure this realisation is what made Peter take Jesus aside and try to help him see reason. But there was one part of Jesus' prophecy about himself that Peter seemed to miss: Jesus rose again.

The truth is, suffering is part of the human existence but Jesus takes us beyond our crosses. He doesn’t bring suffering to our lives – he brings life to our suffering. We must embrace the crosses in our lives in order to experience the resurrection.

+ Lord Jesus, help me take up my particular cross and follow you. Remind me that you are with me and that I am not alone. Help me also to notice the ways I can help make others carry their crosses and thus give real life to my faith. Amen