Repentance, not signs

In today's readings, Jesus seems exasperated that many were more interested in signs while he, and John before him, and the prophets before him, were preaching repentance. They demand spectacles when they are offered reconciliation and peace. It is like speaking to an obstinate offender who refuses to confront the truth in himself: he would change the topic, counter the argument off on a tangent, attack the speaker to deflect and misdirect; anything but the topic at hand. In this generation of societies that once upon a time proudly declared themselves Christian, the same topic is even more urgent for deliberation: who is Jesus? He is neither spectacle nor one of many gurus. Both man and God, he is reconciliation and peace; he is healing and life.

Deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow

A thought struck me from today's Gospel reading (Lk 9:22-25) and a reflection from DailyGospel.org: is it true that there is no other way to escape the cross that we are inevitably challenged with everyday except to reject virtue? Is it inevitable that rejecting sacrifice means embracing sin? Can one only carve out perfect comfort and self-indulgence from injustice to or neglect of others? Hmm..