Why follow Jesus?

 Scripture: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16  • Psalm 22:23-31  • Romans 4:13-25  • Mark 8:31-38 or Mark 9:2-9 

In this Sunday's gospel, which follows the Transfiguration and Peter's answer to Jesus' question of "Who do you say I am?" Peter is rebuked when Jesus tells him that Jesus must be crucified on a cruel Roman cross.  How can this be? Peter had just recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ, moments before. And then those ominous word, that whoever would follow him must deny themselves and take up their own cross. And whoever would lose their life would gain it, and whoever would gain their life would lose it. How so, and why?

Read Katerina Katsarka Whitley's "The Most Difficult PathtoFollow," and Debie Thomas' "Gains and Losses."