Global Foundation for Peace through Soccer

06/10/2025

Congratulations to Portugal on the UEFA win:

10/26/2024

The Voices of Unborn Babies

One in a Series

When We Think About Unborn Babies

By Antonio J. Soave
October 26, 2024

When we think of an unborn baby,
Perhaps sometimes we say maybe.
But really, it’s not correct,
Because with that baby we would connect.

When we consider an unborn child,
Our mood can become quite mild.
And we can think of a birthday belated,
Because with that baby we would be most elated.

The beauty of a child is immense,
And we should never count the expense.
It is not about what we might lose,
So that is why we must aptly choose.

To bring life into this world is joy,
It’s beyond just any arbitrary toy.
And although our clothes be worn,
We’ll never know until baby is born.

The unborn baby is ready to love,
Because baby is a true gift from above.
All we need to do is give it a chance,
And that requires we change our stance.

MORE … PLEASE CONTACT ME.

God bless your day.

10/24/2024

Securing Schools & Other Buildings

Get Bullet-Proof Door Systems for Schools and At-Risk Buildings Now

National Security Grant Program (NSGP) Expanded – Starting October 28/29 of 2024

By Antonio J. Soave
October 24, 2024

This morning brought some wonderful news: The National Security Grant Program (NSGP) has been expanded and reopened to provide more funding for non-profits, including schools and the like.

These NSGP grants can be used specifically for protecting the actual “building envelope” from armed incursions. As a result, bullet-proof door systems can be included into the NSGP request. These bullet-proof entryways and vestibules virtually eliminate the possibility of armed entry into a school and/or other building that could be considered to be “at risk.”

The NSGP provides at least $150,000 in grant funding to a qualifying school, NGO, and government structure considered to be at-risk.

One joint venture entity installing these bullet-proof door systems nationally is American Security Doors-John DeMattia Construction (“ASD”). ASD is about to install some of the latest bullet-proof door systems at schools in the Midwestern United States, and this trend is expected to accelerate in the wake of global terrorist concerns, from the expanding war in the Middle East to the ever-growing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. ASD is also one of the only entities nationally that fully install a complete bullet-proof door system for under $150,000 (with all costs included—the door, the bullet-proof glass, the metal detectors, construction, electrical connections, etc.).

Apart from schools and government buildings (i.e., courthouses, etc.), though, who else is eligible?

Who Is Eligible?

Nonprofit organizations determined to be at high risk of a terrorist attack due to their ideology, beliefs, or mission.

By the way, this information was just posted on government and NGO websites today as well:

Grant guidance will be released in an announcement Monday, October 28th or Tuesday, October 29th providing funding for nonprofits for security enhancements.

This opportunity is open to every nonprofit that is eligible. We encourage those that applied but did not receive funding in FY24 to reapply.

The only details we have currently are as follows:
• Single applicants can apply for up to $150,000
• Applicants can apply as consortium (up to 5 nonprofits) for up to $200,000 each
• New IJ form will need to be completed
• New multiplier was added: Sub applicant’s SAA score will be multiplied by a factor of four for nonprofits facing heightened threat resulting from the Israel-Hamas war. Must draw a clear connection in project narrative to qualify.

Source: Compilation of websites on the World Wide Web; online today.

Schools, architects, construction companies and other orgnanizations should contact John DeMattia today to receive a free quote, as well as a free security assessment. This is his email address:

[email protected]

If you would like more information of this nature, please contact me and I will add you to my mailing list.

09/30/2024

The First Amendment and Its Application to the Sporting World

Is a Publicly Funded Stadium a “Public Forum” for Purposes of the Constitution?

Whether You Agree with Colin Kaepernick or Not …

By Antonio J. Soave
September 30, 2024

Whether you agree with former NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick or not, we can certainly argue that he has a right to express his opinion. You may find his protest fully acceptable or completely detestable, but he still has the right. And that is something that we should all cherish as Americans, regardless on which side of the proverbial “aisle” we find ourselves. However—and most regrettably, perhaps—there are certain restrictions on our First Amendment rights that should be discussed and debated.

This fall I returned to teaching sports law at a local university in the Kansas City area. I didn’t realize how much I missed the academic elements of both teaching and the law, but I have found that I appreciate them now more than ever. Perhaps it is the process of getting older and becoming more contemplative that makes me grateful—I’m not really sure. Maybe it’s just nostalgia as well. Either way, I found this topic to be most interesting today.

As a refresher, the First Amendment states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Source: U.S. Constitution

While this is very broad in nature and in scope, it is important to understand and realize that there is a very specific limitation to the First Amendment. There must be a “public” element in order for it to apply:

The First Amendment by its terms applies only to laws enacted by Congress and not to the actions of private persons.1

As such, the First Amendment is subject to a state action (or governmental action) limitation similar to that applicable to the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.2

The Supreme Court has stated that a private entity can qualify as a state actor in a few limited circumstances, such as [1] when the private entity performs a traditional, exclusive public function; [2] when the government compels the private entity to take a particular action; or [3] when the government acts jointly with the private entity.3

Source: Constitution.Annotated on line; Constitution.Congress

This is worth repeating: “The First Amendment … applies only to laws enacted by Congress and not to the actions of private persons.” But, where there is a “sufficiently close nexus” or “sufficiently close connection” between the private entity and the public (government) entity, then “state action” can be determined and inferred.

It’s also important to consider the following:

More recently, in Manhattan Community Access Corp. v. Halleck, the Supreme Court held that Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN), a private, nonprofit corporation designated by New York City to operate public access channels in Manhattan, was not a state actor for purposes of the First Amendment because it did not exercise a traditional, exclusive public function.19

Apart from the factual circumstances presented by the company town that exercises powers traditionally and exclusively held by the government,23 the Court has sometimes applied the First Amendment against private parties if they have a sufficiently close relationship to the government.24 Such circumstances may exist where a private company is subject to extensive state regulation—although government regulation alone is not sufficient to establish the state action requirement.25 Instead, the inquiry in such a case is whether there is a sufficiently close nexus between the State and the challenged action of the regulated entity so that the action of the latter may be fairly treated as that of the State itself.2

Source: Constitution.Annotated on line; Constitution.Congress

However, the Constitution Law Center online tells us that this matter is still largely “undecided”:

Almost all NFL franchises are considered private companies and NFL players belong to unions that negotiate contracts on behalf of their members. However, pro football players also perform on game day at sports stadiums that are financed by public, tax-payer money. Would a protesting athlete have First Amendment free speech protections standing (or kneeling) on a field that is a quasi-public forum?

A Marquette Law Review article from 2010 made an argument that a stadium’s field as a public forum for athletes is an unsettled issue. Its author, Marquette Law grad Nick DeSiato, concluded that a determination of a sports stadium as a public space with First Amendment rights is an “imprecise science” subject to different interpretations. While a stadium can be funded by public money, the private sports club using it must be considered a “state actor” for some First Amendment requirements to apply to permitted activities inside the stadium. (In most cases, the First Amendment applies to government actions, not actions taken by private companies.)

As for anthem protests, DeSiato cited one example from 2004, when baseball player Carlos Delgado refused to stand for the singing of “God Bless America” in a political protest against the Iraq War. Delgado’s act didn’t break a league or club policy, but the crowd reacted negatively against Delgado.

Source: National Constitutional Center online.

By the same token, we must continue to address the matter of whether a publicly funded municipal stadium is a public forum because more scenarios will undoubtedly arise. There are, however, different types of “public forums”:

A “forum” in First Amendment law refers to the place in which a “speaker” speaks. The First Amendment's protections regarding the right to speak and assemble will vary based on the speaker's chosen forum. In Perry Educ. Ass’n v. Perry Educators’ Ass’n, 460 U.S. 37 (1983), the Supreme Court divided forums into three types: traditional public forums, designated forums, and nonpublic forums.

Traditional Public Forums

Traditional public forums include public parks, sidewalks and areas that have been traditionally open to political speech and debate. Speakers in these areas enjoy the strongest First Amendment protections. In traditional public forums, the government may not discriminateagainst speakers based on the speakers' views. Doing so is called viewpoint discrimination, which is prohibited under the First Amendment. The government may, however, subject speech to reasonable, content-neutral restrictions on its time, place, and manner. When considering government restrictions of speech in traditional public forums, courts use strict scrutiny. When the government restricts speech in a traditional public forum, strict scrutiny dictates that restrictions are allowed only if they serve a compelling state interest and are narrowly tailored to meet the needs of that interest.
Designated Public Forums

Sometimes, the government opens public property for public expression even though the public property is not a traditional public forum. These are designated public forums. After opening a designated public forum, the government is not obligated to keep it open. However, as long as the government does keep the forum open, speech in the forum receives the same First Amendment protections as speech in traditional public forums. Examples of designated public forums include municipal theaters and meeting rooms at state universities.

Limited Forums

A limited forum is a type of designated public forum. Here, the government limits access to a designated public forum to certain classes or types of speech. In Good News Club v. Milford Central School, 533 U.S. 98 (2001), the Supreme Court held that in a “limited forum,” the government may discriminate against classes of speakers or types of speech. However, the government is still prohibited from engaging in viewpoint discrimination. For example, the government may limit access to public school meeting rooms by only allowing speakers conducting school-related activities. It may not, however, exclude speakers from a religious group simply because they intend to express religious views.

Source: Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School (online)

In the matters concerning Colin Kaepernick, some issues include, but are not limited, to the following: whether the publicly funded football stadium qualified as a designated public forum or a limited public forum, and whether his (Kaepernick’s) First Amendment rights can be restricted in such a forum.

MORE ... PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR THE FULL ARTICLE.

09/30/2024

In Loving Memory of Johnny Hockey

Johnny Gaudreau's Religious Beliefs

Gaudreau’s Christian faith was also a guiding force in his life. He was vocal about the role his faith played in his success, often attributing his achievements to God’s blessings. Johnny’s faith was evident in the way he conducted himself both on and off the ice, earning him the respect of teammates, coaches, and fans alike. He regularly participated in community outreach programs, using his platform to give back and spread positive messages of hope and faith.

Source: Belief Net online.

Johnny Gaudreau was a professional ice hockey player who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL).

09/29/2024

Mourning Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau: From Hockey to the Bible

So Much Work and So Little Time

A Few Spiritual Thoughts About Our Obsession with Busyness

By Antonio J. Soave
September 29, 2024

As a longtime hockey fan and occasional youth hockey coach, I have contemplated the untimely death of two of the most wonderful hockey players to ever play the frozen game: Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau. Although Johnny—also known as “Johnny Hockey”—experienced more fame than his brother, the two had a lasting impact on the sport. Known for their kindness and upstanding character, they were an example for so many. With such great role models in the sport (as well as specifically for young people, of course), I couldn’t help but to ask the age-old question: Why? Why, Lord, allow these great pillars of the sport to pass so early?

There is a lot to unpack here, but it does not hurt us—I suppose—to turn to the Lord and ask those same questions. It probably helps us to go to Him who is the very Author of Life and to ponder this as well. While I’m not sure I have any specific answers per se, here is a little of what I have come across recently.

As I recently turned of age, I thought to myself anxiously, “There is so much that I still have to do—want to do—and there is so little time.” I couldn’t help but to think, “I’m running out of time.” I suppose that it is probably similar to others out there who are getting up in age. For me, there seems to be so much unfinished business, and I fret over the time that is left. But I believe that the Lord wanted to remind me of something critically important today. It comes from this Bible reading:

1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time; also he has put eternity into man's mind, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Source: ECCLESIASTES 3

Ah, yes, there is indeed a ‘season for everything under heaven.’ There is, in fact, a veritable “appointed time” for the Lord’s plans to unfold, and those plans do not involve my personal timing. I’ve had to learn that the hard way in so many situations and environments. I sometimes think that I know better, and that God is not concerned with the little details in my life; but that is not correct. He is the God of mercy, compassion, and goodness, and He is also the God of all time—no matter what the circumstances. He is a God of both big and small, and He is a God of infinite detail.

With Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, it seems as if their “season” ended much too soon, and far too abruptly. To hockey fans, it appeared as being almost “unfair.” But the Lord’s ways are far bigger than our ways, and His understanding surpasses ours infinitely.

Therefore, that which the Lord has appointed cannot or will not change simply because we’d like it to be different. We are forced to accept certain timing and certain circumstances, even if we feel or believe that all of it is unjust.

Now, that does not mean that everything in life is futile or that prayer cannot change the trajectory of certain circumstances. Nor does it mean that there is an absolute predestiny. For certain, God has accounted for all the times that we would pray for His intervention, and He has adjusted His time accordingly (so to speak). Still, however, everything truly happens in God’s time and not in our own. Again, this is a huge reminder to me, myself, and I.

The reading mentioned above also tell me the following. There is:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

Source: ECCLESIASTES 3

Sometimes silence and prayer are our best friends. As Ecclesiastes reminds is, there is “a time to be born, and a time to die.” By the same token, there is “a time to plant.” Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau planted the seeds of goodness, so much so that they positively impacted and touched so many other souls along the way. Even though their premature death seems most inappropriate, it is what God has either ordained or allowed.

All of this also teaches me another lesson: That “busyness” for the sake of busyness is senseless. So often we feel more important, more significant, and more relevant if we are busier. We feel as if we can somehow alter and/or change events because we are preoccupied with mere busyness. But not all busyness is from the Lord; much of it comes from us—and so much of it is useless.

Again, we all know how difficult it is to accept certain outcomes, first person included. But we are called upon to trust in the Lord in all of His ways, and we are asked to not rely on our own understanding. I know how hard all of this is, believe me; and I also know that the good Lord is asking me for this one thing today: Trust.

God bless your day.

09/26/2024

Today, I Thought I Heard the Lord Say …

My Birthday Wish

As I come of age today, I have discovered so very much—about life, about people, about the world. Still, there is a great deal that I do not know. In fact, there is so much that I do not know that it is exhausting at times. But something definitive that I have discovered in this contemplative, prayerful, and introspective process is the following: The inherent value of children.

In this “disposable society,” we are often quick to discount and disregard the intrinsic splendor and magnificence of children. When they are first born, we have the opportunity to see and experience the joy that accompanies such an event. As many of you know, it is often overwhelming—that is, that amazing feeling that comes with the birth of a child.

Most admittedly, I did not discover this until later in life, but it has changed my view and my perspective on life—so much so that I now do whatever is in my power to protect living children, as well as the unborn. Much like the wonderful children that surround us, the unborn have rights. They have a right to be born; they have a right to fully exist; they have a right to self-determination; and they have a right to be heard.

No, this is not a reproachment, nor is it a condemnation of those who have chosen otherwise. I simply ask—however—that we prayerfully reconsider the dignity of the human person, both born and unborn. I ask that we extend our sympathy and our empathy to all members of the human family, whether they are fully present or not. I ask that we love and forgive—no matter how difficult it is—so that we can all become members of the same, decent human family.

That is my birthday wish for today.

God bless you and thank you.

09/26/2024

Following in the Footsteps of Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I began my official work in human rights back in law school in Michigan in 1990 when a few fellow students and I started the Journal of International Law & Practice. We did so to advocate for human rights across the board and without exception. We wanted to do it in writing so that we could make the world aware of the gross abuses that were taking place against so many members of the human family. More than 30 years later, we still have so much work to do.

My colleagues and I supported the downtrodden, the lonely, the impoverished, the homeless, the abandoned, and all of those less fortunate. As an extension of that, we now call on humanity to recognize and realize the harmful nature of abortion. There is nothing "reproductive" about this practice.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta. -- undoubtedly a hero and a foremost advocate for the rights of the underprivileged -- said this:

By abortion the Mother does not learn to love, but kills her own child to solve her problems. And, by abortion, that father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world. The father is likely to put other women to the same trouble. So abortion leads to more abortion.

Mother Teresa

Today may we follow in her footsteps.

God bless you, and please join us in protecting the unborn children of this world.

Thank you.

09/26/2024

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmarchforlife.org%2Fmother-teresa-favorite-quotes%2F&psig=AOvVaw1NoJ-yt7KW98AtmE8JKaIW&ust=1727442213363000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBQQjRxqFwoTCICtovLV4IgDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ

09/25/2024

The Legend of Mario

From Mario Cart to the Great Andretti

Better Times & More Innocent Times

The Old Ethnic Italian Neighborhood in East Detroit

By Antonio J. Soave
September 25, 2024

Today is the birthday of a dear friend of mine, Mario, whom I call “brother.” In that old ethnic Detroit vernacular, “brother” is certainly a term of endearment. So, while my siblings and I celebrate our friend-brother Mario, I recalled yet another Mario today—Mario Andretti.

As I started my career in international business transactions and global sports years ago, I had the opportunity of representing the world Formula One Association (FIA/FISA). That was a time when some of the “greats” were still racing, including Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and so many others. Neither Bernie Ecclestone nor Max Mosley had fully dominated the scene yet, and there was an international squabble between the Paris-based FIA and the U.S.-based CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams). CART later integrated into the Indy Racing League (IRL), and FIA/FISA moved forward in various ways as well—some good and some not so good. That, however, is a different story.

Nonetheless, that was also a period in my business growth where I met the great Mario Andretti through a friend and business colleague. Simply known as “Mario,” he was larger than life. When I met him on the IRL circuit, he was humble and kind (even if he had a strong and exuberant confidence, of course). He was no longer racing, and his son, Michael, was still the “talk of the racing town.” Michael would turn out to receive even more accolades than his father in some respects, but Mario Andretti—Michael’s father—represented more than just racing. Andretti represented an era, a people, an immigrant class, and much more. Mario Andretti had achieved iconic status, and the sports of auto racing could be defined by that one name: “Mario.”

Now, today my children know a different Mario from online games involving fictitious cartoon-like characters such as “Mario Cart” and his brother, “Luigi.” That has become quite the lasting sensation, to say the least. But, again, the real Mario would eclipse even those fictitious figures who have become somewhat ubiquitous.

That which Mario Andretti characterized in my era was more than just auto racing. Andretti was the epitome of resolve and grit, and so many immigrants—especially Italian immigrants—could identify with that original Mario even if they never knew him or had never met him. For Italian immigrants in the Americas, Mario was an example of how an immigrant could not just survive but could thrive and arrive at monumental levels of success.

Mario Andretti was in a category with other Italian-American sports legends from Yogi Berra to Joe Garagiola, and from Phil Esposito to Tony Esposito (true blood brothers, by the way). Those fellows were a demonstration of how adversity could be overcome, and the American dream could be realized. They conveyed an attitude of tenacity and resolve, of humility and goodness. Even though they had flaws, those flaws were overlooked—perhaps a lot like Americans overlooked the shortcomings of the beloved late president, John F. Kennedy. All these figures transcended everyday life and they became models for youngsters to follow.



I’m sure that I am biased when I say those were “better times” and more “innocent times.” However, with the advent of the smart phone and the internet, I am probably not far off. Some of the innocence of that time was attributable to the fact that it was harder to get into trouble and harder to access negative materials. It was a time where the church—for the most part—was still the epicenter of some of those ethnic American cities, and where it truly “took a neighborhood to raise a child.” True, there were still some “bad things” going on, and maybe some of that was not as noticeable because the method of communication was largely word-of-mouth.

So, here we are today, on a fall day in late September 2024 trying to recall some of the simpler times in life. We pay homage and tribute to all of those who came to this country with very little and were able to become of beacon of hope to so many others.

May the good Lord in heaven bless us today, and may He allow for a return to the “days of innocence.” May He restore goodness in our society, and may He make of us a decent and respectful nation.

God bless your day.

09/15/2024

Our Sunday Reflection

What is the Lord Asking of Us Today?

Speak Truth and Stand Up to Opposition: Deny Yourself and Follow the Truth

By Antonio J. Soave
September 15, 2024

Today’s Bible readings are packed with all kinds of lessons. As a person who is so often challenged and has so many flaws, I look to these readings today and I can “unpack” a great deal. As always, these lessons apply first and foremost to me, myself, and I. Then, I share them with others just in case these thoughts may resonate with them, too. So, here goes.

Today’s first reading is from Isaiah 50.

5 The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward. 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 7 For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 8 he who vindicates me is near.

9 Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

Source: Isaiah 50

I learn that turning my will to the Will of God is imperative, even when it is most difficult for me to do, and even when others may “smite” me for it. Notice the use of the word “smiters”; synonyms for smite include:

• To strike
• To beat
• To punch
• To thrash

So often, this is what happens to us when we stand up for the truth, and when we follow the Lord. Others will strike us, beat us, punch us, thrash us, smack us, and slug us (again, all synonyms for the word “smite”). But we can take solace in this: All help and vindication are in the Lord. For even if we are temporarily put to shame, we are reminded of this:

… and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 8 he who vindicates me is near.

Behold, the Lord GOD helps me … Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

Source: Isaiah 50

Eventually, the naysayers and “bad guys” will be taken care of; the Lord will handle that, but in His own timing. He says, “… the moth will eat them up.”

The next reading is from James 2. Here we are told:

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?

17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. 18 But some one will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.

If a so-called brother in the Lord tells you that he has faith, but his actions do not comply with the faith, then there is a problem. Faith alone won’t get us to the Promised Land because ‘faith without works is dead.’ So, we have to “walk the walk,” and not just “talk the talk.” We’ve got to stand up for that which is right and just and noble in the eyes of the Lord. We have to speak truth and—more importantly—we have to try to ‘live the truth.’

Now, we are all culpable of this hypocrisy from time to time. But this primary warning is—in my opinion—for those who live in a pattern of hypocrisy. It is a warning to me so that I may not live in a pattern of hypocrisy. Again, it is not enough for us to simply say, “I have faith.” We are required to live that faith on our proverbial sleeves, and we have to follow through with actions that are commensurate with that faith.

Then, our Gospel reading is from Mark 8. There is a two-fold lesson for me in this passage: First, the Lord makes it clear that the Father in Heaven can and does reveal “Truth” to us as He sees fit, appropriate, and just. Mark 8:27 says:

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesare'a Philip'pi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that I am?" 28 And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Eli'jah; and others one of the prophets." 29 And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." 30 And he charged them to tell no one about him.

Not only was the “Truth” revealed to Simon Peter, but the Lord specifically “charged them to tell no one about him.” The timing was not right for such a public revelation, even if the disciples may have thought otherwise. The Lord’s humility rings loudly, but so does His ultimate obedience to the Father.

Again, there are many great lessons for me here. I need to listen more effectively and attentively to the Lord, and I need to be open to His Truth, not just my own notion of truth. I also need to be completely obedient to the Lord.

In the next part of this Gospel passage in Mark 8, the Lord taught the disciples “many things,” including that He would be “rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed …”

This was probably far too much for the disciples to handle, especially for Peter. For just after the Truth had been revealed to Peter (perhaps moments earlier), the Lord told them—the disciples, that is—that He would have to suffer and be killed. After all, Peter had just declared, “You are the Christ.” Mark 8 says:

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men."

Simon Peter—the one who had just declared the Truth in Christ—was now being rebuked by the Lord. The Lord even saw an element of Satan impacting and affecting Peter, so much so that the Lord declared:

"Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men."

Imagine that dramatic turn of events. On one hand, the Lord finds Simon Peter so worthy that he calls Peter “the Rock.” Upon that very “Rock” the Church would be built. Then, within a short period of time, Simon Peter was being influenced by the devil to the point of making an incorrect statement to the Lord. The Lord, in turn, corrected Peter, and He did so rather forcefully.

Note to self: Here, again, is a lesson for me to ponder and contemplate. I am sometimes eager to follow and declare the Lord, but I am still vulnerable to great temptation. So, I need to be on guard always because the “son of perdition” is constantly on the prowl for my soul and for the souls of so many others.

Finally, the Lord provides us with the ultimate lesson pertaining to self-denial and self-sacrifice. We’re reminded here that the Lord is not promising us an earthly rose garden. Rather, He is telling us clearly to “deny” ourselves. He is also instructing us to take up our crosses so that we can more amply and courageously follow Him. At the end, we are told that there is a reward for doing so:

34 And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

Ah, yes, I know how very difficult all of this is. I find myself in the world and wanting to do so much, accomplish so much, and be so much. Yet that is not what the Lord is asking of me. He is telling me to deny myself and to take up my cross daily so that I may follow Him more effectively.

None of this is easy for me, and I would imagine that the same goes for some of you. We like to think of our Lord in our own way, often believing that the faith journey will be conducted in bliss and within a veritable Garden of Eden. We don’t like to hear—or to know—that we are called upon to pick up our crosses and to follow Him; we certainly don’t want to be told—at least I don’t want to be told—to deny myself continuously and to give up my very life. That, however, is what I am called to do.

I get it: None of this easy, not even the least. But we are called upon today to do our very best, and to strive to be better people—each and every day. Sometimes even little self-denials and mini mortifications can help us to get farther along in our faith journey. May we all, present company included, start to make little strides today in an effort to get closer the Savior.

God bless your day.