Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop,
Martyrs
(I Corinthians 12:31-13:13; Luke 7:31-35)
N.T. Wright is a well-known Anglican Biblical scholar and bishop. He introduces one of his books on Jesus with
a controversial claim. He says that
people don’t want to accept Jesus for how he is described in the gospels. Rather they accept him for how he confirms
their pre-established religious and social convictions. It’s the same problem that Jesus faces in
today’s gospel. The people don’t want to
listen to him because he differs from their expectations of God’s prophet.
What was Jesus like and what did he teach that was so difficult
to accept? The answer is to these
questions is perhaps best expressed by St. Paul in today’s first reading. Jesus incarnated God’s perfect love and
taught it to anyone who would listen. Because
of the radicalness of that love, he bore the enmity of religious leaders, believed
in people who had given up hope for salvation, and endured the greatest human suffering.
Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, the martyrs we celebrate today,
were different from most people in this respect. They understood that Jesus called them and everyone
else to a self-sacrificing love and did not waver in practicing it. They died a premature and violent death to
honor Jesus for his sacrifice and his teaching.
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