In the liturgical spirit of Feria VI after the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, we are invited to contemplate the profound wisdom found in Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 51:1-8, 12 and Matthew 16:24-27. These passages speak to the heart of Christian discipleship, echoing the call to trust in God’s providence, even amidst suffering, and to follow Christ unreservedly.
Gratitude for Deliverance: A Song of Praise
In Ecclesiasticus 51:1-8, 12, we encounter a hymn of thanksgiving, attributed traditionally to the author, Jesus ben Sirach. Here, he recounts how God delivered him from various dangers, offering praise for divine mercy:
“I will give praise to Thee, O Lord, O King, and I will bless Thy name forever and ever. I have praised Thee, for Thou hast redeemed me and hast not permitted my enemies to rejoice over me. Thou hast saved me from those that condemned me to perdition, and Thou hast delivered me out of the hand of my enemies.” (Ecclus 51:1-2)
This passage reflects the soul’s outpouring of gratitude for deliverance from peril, a theme that resonates deeply in the tradition of the Church Fathers. St. Augustine, in his Confessions, speaks of the soul’s restlessness until it finds rest in God, who alone can rescue us from the dangers of sin and death. The praise given in Ecclesiasticus is not merely for temporal deliverance but is ultimately a recognition of God’s saving power over the forces that threaten the soul’s eternal destiny.
St. Cyprian of Carthage also emphasizes that such deliverance is a sign of God’s enduring mercy, urging the faithful to always remember God’s past works as a source of hope and confidence in His future protection. The thanksgiving in Sirach is an acknowledgment that our victories are not our own; they are won through the grace and mercy of God, who continually acts in the lives of those who trust in Him.
The Call to Discipleship: Bearing the Cross
The Gospel reading from Matthew 16:24-27 brings this reflection into the New Testament context, where Christ lays out the demands of discipleship:
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matt 16:24-25)
This call to take up the cross and follow Christ is the very essence of Christian life. The early Church Fathers, such as St. John Chrysostom, interpreted this passage as an invitation to embrace suffering and self-denial as the path to true life in Christ. For Chrysostom, the cross is not merely a symbol of suffering but of victory—victory over the self and the sinful nature that clings to this world.
St. Augustine also reflects on this, teaching that the cross is the great paradox of Christian life: it is both the instrument of death and the tree of life. To carry the cross means to accept the death of the old self, with its passions and desires, and to live anew in Christ. This passage from Matthew calls us to a radical reorientation of our lives, where the pursuit of worldly gain is subordinated to the pursuit of eternal life.
The Reward of Discipleship: Eternal Glory
Christ’s words in Matthew 16:27, “For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works,” remind us that our choices in this life have eternal consequences. The Church Fathers consistently taught that the Christian life is a preparation for the final judgment, where each person will be judged by their fidelity to Christ’s call.
St. Gregory the Great admonishes us to live with this end in mind, understanding that earthly trials and the carrying of the cross are the means by which we store up treasures in heaven. The glory that Christ promises is not of this world but of the next, and it is given to those who, like the Psalmist, have trusted in God’s deliverance and followed Christ even to the point of death.
Conclusion: A Journey of Trust and Obedience
The readings for this Feria VI after the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost invite us into a deeper reflection on the journey of Christian discipleship. From the grateful acknowledgment of God’s saving acts in Ecclesiasticus to the challenging call of Christ in Matthew, we see that the path to eternal life is one of trust, obedience, and self-denial.
As we meditate on these scriptures, let us be encouraged by the wisdom of the Church Fathers, who remind us that every trial we face is an opportunity to draw closer to Christ, to take up our cross, and to follow Him more faithfully. And in this, we find the true meaning of life—losing it in this world to gain it for all eternity.