For the second week, we are reading from the prophecy of Isaiah. Today we read from one of his messianic prophecies. In other words, his prophecy today is about Jesus Christ. He declared:
“The Lord God opens my ear that I may hear: and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me…my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced”. 
This text is usually read during the Stations of the Cross at Lenten season. Jesus went through this experience of suffering and persecution on Good Friday for our salvation. Jesus speaks of this in the gospel of today. 
 
St. James tells us in the second reading that we who have the gift of faith in Jesus Christ the Messiah, must put it into service of God and our brothers and sisters. We must put our faith into doing works of charity and good works because faith that produces no works is dead (vv. 14-19). Jesus said, “My father goes on working so do I.” Again, he said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father…” (Mt 7:21).
 
St. Bernard said, “…Just as the body dies when the soul leaves it, faith dies when the ardour of charity is cooled.” (In Octava Paschae, Sermo, 2,1). Justification means union with God through grace, but also the practice of charity (Gal 5:6). ‘Let the righteous still do right’ (Rev 22:11) (Council of Trent, De iustificatione, chap 10).
 
Jesus our Messiah asked the disciples an important question, “Who do people say that I am?” We too must confront and apply or direct this question to ourselves. Jesus is asking you and me, who do you say I am? Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah or one of the prophets. They are completely wrong and so he asked his Apostles, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” Christ means Messiah the anointed one. Remember Lk 4:18: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to proclaim liberty to captives/to save the world.” He will achieve this through suffering as Isaiah prophesied in our first reading. The Son of man must suffer greatly and be rejected…killed and rise after three days. Peter tried to stop him. He rebuked Peter and said “Get behind me Satan.” Peter is a close friend or companion of Jesus, but Jesus did not allow him to stop him from doing the will of God or lead him astray. Jesus is teaching us here not to allow people to lead us away from God or influence us in a bad or sinful way no matter who they are. We must have the courage of Jesus to say no and hold on to what is good, the will of God.
 
Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his Cross and follow me”.
What does deny oneself mean? In a literal sense it means to say no to yourself and say yes to God, yes to Christ. In other words, stop doing your will. Like Christ, start doing the holy will of God. It means to endeavor through grace and prayer to say no to selfishness or self will and to hold on to the will of God in obedience. Jesus said he came not to do his will but to do the will of the father who sent him. On Good Friday, he prayed: “Father if it’s your will take this cup away from me, not my will but your will.” Remember the Lord’s prayer, ‘Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’. Last Monday at 7 pm, I joined the men’s group during their Bible study. We studied the story of the Prodigal son, who followed his will, collected his share of properties went away and wasted his life until he came back home to his father. To deny ourselves is simply to put to death our will and commit ourselves to doing or obeying the will of God.  Dear brothers and sisters, like St. Paul, let’s us say, “…I have been Crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me;…” (Gal 2:19-20).