August 30, 2026 The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity

August 30, 2026

The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity

Expressing negativity and skepticism has never been difficult for human beings, especially when it comes to self-denial.

In today's Gospel, we can imagine that the actors in our story are doing much of the same thing. Especially when it comes to self-denial. We, as humans, struggle with self-denial quite a bit.Yet, this is precisely what Jesus requires of his followers. "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves ...'"What, then, does it mean to practice self-denial? Even Peter had difficulty accepting this as we see with his attempting to stop Jesus’ professed future act of self-denial.We cannot "deny ourselves" without understanding the extent of the egocentric culture in which we live. It is all about "me" and my needs and wants. It is the principle on which market economics works. It is the assumption of all marketing and advertising campaigns. It is the normative behavior in relationships at work, school, and neighborhood. We are going to put our own interests ahead of others.This is one reason conflicts arise, why we often do not get along and why there are disagreements, hurt feelings, feuds, and broken relationships. It explains in part why people lose their jobs, why they get into a fight over a parking space and why they seethe in anger when cut off on the interstate.We live in a country called "I." We have my rules, my goals, my dreams, my plans, my money, my toys, and my gadgets. When people -- and the behavior of people -- disrupt life in "me," "me" gets terribly upset. Because it is all about "me." It is not about you. It is not about your needs, your feelings, your dreams, and goals. It is about me.Jesus turns this upside down.If we want to be disciples, we must change countries. We must live in the country of "you." You come first. Your needs are paramount. We live to make certain that you are cared for, that you are honored and respected and that you are whole and healthy in every way.This is what a follower of Jesus does. She denies her citizenship in me and embraces a world in which you are the center. It is an other-centric culture now, not an egocentric one. She denies herself and does things the Jesus way, which is the way of self-sacrificing agape love. (See Philippians 2:1-5.)The St. Paul acknowledged the necessity of self-denial. "I die every day," he wrote to the Corinthians in his first letter.German pastor and theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, executed in a Nazi concentration camp, in 1945, wrote "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." (The Cost of Discipleship)

"Those who lose their life for my sake will find it," Jesus said. Jesus even uses the word "profit" in verse 26: "For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?"

The words of the Prayer of Saint Francis are apropos, especially the last line: "For it is in dying to self, that we are born to eternal life."The cross was the preferred method of execution in the Roman world. Everyone knew this. The cross was not a fashion accessory, a piece of jewelry or something pretty, as we use it today. So, what does this mean, "bear a cross"?To understand this, let's ask what it would have meant to Jesus' disciples when they heard Jesus say this.They knew that many, if not most, of the people their Roman oppressors crucified, were compelled to carry the very cross on which they would die to their crucifixion. If not the whole cross (which could be heavy), they were at least compelled to carry the patibulum, the cross piece from which they would hang.The disciples, therefore, understood the reference.But they could not possibly have understood at this time that Jesus' comments were in any way intended to be literal. They scarcely understood that Jesus himself was going to die on a cross! They would not -- could not --  have interpreted Jesus' comments literally. So, they understood Jesus' comments in a figurative way – though it would take Jesus’ actual death on the cross for them to come to understand. And if they did, we should too.Do you have a tough time loving and befriending a certain person? Love them and befriend them anyway.Cross-bearing always involves the "picking up" part, or the "taking up" part. The cross is something we choose. We can pass the cross and leave it behind -- and leave Jesus behind as well. Or we can stop, pick up the cross and follow Jesus. Maybe this drifting away from Jesus' principles and agenda occurs because we prefer leadership to followership. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, except when the decision is about whether Jesus is the leader or we are the leader. When we rebel or wander from Jesus' leadership to go our own way, not only have we stopped being a disciple, we have dropped the cross and -- rather than denying ourselves -- we have denied Jesus.It is not easy. The way to eternal life is not easy.But it is meaningful.And it is, in its own way, rewarding.

Let us pray.

In today’s gospel Jesus asks us, “What will a man gain if he wins the whole world and loses salvation”?  We pray that the Holy Spirit inspire us to live  a true Christian life and not one blinded by riches, fame, or pride. We pray to the Lord.

For a deeper desire for prayer. May we surrender to the gift of God’s desire for us. May love abound and faithfulness be our way of life. We pray to the Lord.

For all who labor for others. May our work bring hope for people on earth. May all who labor in daylight and throughout the nighttime find satisfaction and financial security. We pray to the Lord.

For people who cannot manage their burdens. May the cross free those who carry body pain, emotional turmoil, or financial misfortunes. May Christ relieve them of burdens. We pray to the Lord.

For all who help relieve the burdens of the earth. May scientists, explorers, farmers, and theologians all work together to teach climate awareness. May we all become aware of our role to lift up the cause of the earth. We pray to the Lord.

For those who wish their lives had turned out differently. May the cross of regret not hinder our lives or our present relationships. May love be found here and now. We pray to the Lord.

For people who live in emotional chaos. May our loved ones who suffer dementia or memory loss find hope and comfort. May God relax them with each breath they take while on earth. We pray to the Lord.

We pray to God for an increase of priests, deacons, and religious for our denomination to bring the Good News to all peoples without prejudice. We pray to the Lord.

For generous benefactors who can help our tiny parish with needed repairs and better fiscal foundation. We pray to the Lord.

For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.

We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.     

Holy God, it seems to be our natural human inclination to resist the truth that suffering is part of life. We go to great lengths to avoid it for ourselves and to spare those we love from any pain, struggle, or discomfort. Merciful Savior, grant us the wisdom to embrace suffering as a gift, to receive the lessons that pain alone can teach us with thankfulness, to submit to the growth and maturity that difficulty can bring in our lives. We ask for courage to follow in Jesus' footsteps, as he greeted his own suffering with dignity, humility, and grace.

When we do not know which way to turn, O God, give us the wisdom to turn to you. We come to this time of prayer with our hearts burdened with the weight of unresolved issues. We come with anxiety because of relationships near the breaking point. We come with pain because of brokenness -- broken hearts, broken friendships, broken careers, broken churches which we have loved. In this time of silence, grant us each the grace to honestly acknowledge the part we have played in this brokenness and in the stillness. Open our hearts to the power of the Holy Spirit as we listen for your voice in the silence. We offer our gratitude for your presence, most holy and loving God, through the soothing power of the Holy Spirit. Having confronted our own responsibility for our broken situation, let us breathe in deeply of your forgiving love, and, with renewed faith in you, guide us to wholeness through the one who makes all things and all people new. We ask all these things through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

God Love You +++

The Most Rev. Robert Winzens

Pastor – St. Francis Chapel

San Diego, CA.

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