In a Peanuts cartoon, a sad Lucy is sitting next to Snoopy. Lucy sighs, and says, “Sometimes I think no one is going to love me.” In each succeeding panel, her lament continues. ‘... No one is going to want to lean over and kiss me. No one loves me. No one even likes me. No one cares about me.”

Meanwhile, Snoopy is in distress. He has lost his balance and is teetering, saying, “Look at me ... I’m leaning over ... hurry up and look ... I’m falling ... hurry up! Hurry up! I’m falling.” Then clunk! Snoopy falls flat on his face.

Through it all, Lucy has ignored him, just looking straight ahead, all wrapped up in herself. She laments once more, “No one will ever love me.”

Snoopy, flat on his face, says, “You’re probably right, sweetie!”

Before this week is over, you and I will each have many opportunities to be sensitive to another person ... to care ... to give that cup of water to drink.

Once again Jesus is teaching about what it means to be his disciple, to follow him; it means service to others, it means sacrifice for the sake of others.

A method to make a point is to use extravagant exaggeration, to wit: She asked me a million questions; I waited in line forever; it scared the life out of me; in a million years I never thought I would be standing here today, I’m only 18. Get it? Hyperbole.

In speaking about discipleship, Jesus uses some shocking language to get his point across. This is so serious, he says, that if any part of your body causes you to sin, get rid of it.

Jesus says that, to really follow him you have to be willing to sacrifice your whole self ... the crucifix is a reminder.

It is hard work to do good at times, even when you might say, I do this out of love.

It is hard work to avoid sin when it is presented as normal or is said that everyone does it, what’s wrong with you?

It is hard work to be a witness, a role model, in doing what is right. It’s nobody’s business what you do.

The word scandal means, literally, a stone or object in a path that causes a person to trip, to fall down.

Discipleship, following Jesus to the cross and beyond, is seen as a journey, and a scandal would be anything that would cause another disciple to discontinue or interrupt his journey.

St. Gregory of Nyssa wrote, “God never asks His servants to do what is impossible. The love and goodness of God is revealed as richly available. It is poured out like water upon all. God furnishes each person according to His will with the ability to do something good. None of those seeking to be saved will be lacking this ability, given by the one who said, ‘Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.’ ”

The value of what you do is not how much you gave or how great it was, but that it was done in the name of Jesus.

I love you ... I forgive you ... my supper is ready.

Are you?