Grow as Christ’s Disciple

Grow as Christ’s Disciple

In this Sunday Mass Homily at Saint Michael Kalibo, Fr. Erel Villanueva reminded us to Grow as Christ’s Disciple. In today’s Gospel, we are like Peter, who struggled to understand the suffering that Jesus would face. However, Fr. Erel emphasized that suffering also comes with our faith. Matthew 16:21 tells us that part of Jesus’ mission on earth was to suffer and die for our sins. Through His death and resurrection, the Scriptures were fulfilled, and God freely offered us salvation through Christ. We must remember that if we want to become His disciples, suffering comes with following Jesus. He gave us three ways to become His disciples: deny ourselves, carry our cross, and follow Him. First, we must die to ourselves. This means dying to our sins, surrendering our pride, and choosing what is good for others. As Jesus continually works in our lives, we must learn to put aside our selfish desires and allow Him to transform our hearts. Second, we must carry our cross. Our willingness to endure suffering identifies us with Christ. It also means choosing to forgive others, even when we do not feel like forgiving. Furthermore, carrying our cross means leaving behind a comfortable Christianity and becoming willing to offer our time, talents, and abilities in service to others. Lastly, we must follow Jesus. Following Him every day leads us toward spiritual growth. More importantly, following Christ is a choice we must consciously make each day. So, are we willing to embrace our cross for others? Are we willing to let go of what we have for the good of others? God has already shown us who He is. Now, as we Grow as Christ’s Disciple, let us deny ourselves, carry our cross, and follow Him faithfully each day. Twenty- Second Sunday of Ordinary Time August 30, 2026 First Proclamation: Jeremiah 15:15-21 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 26:1-8 Second Proclamation: Romans 12:9-21 Gospel Proclamation: Matthew 16:21-27 Homily by Fr. Erel Villanueva Check out our Sermon page for more homily recaps and video links to our uplifting messages. God bless! https://www.saintmichaelkalibo.com/sermons/grow-as-christs-disciple/?feed_id=988&_unique_id=6a93bd35566b5