“The proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world continues to demand of us a prophetic, counter-cultural resistance to the self-centered hedonism of paganism.”  Pope Francis 11/24/2023 The Christian life has never been about simply going along with the crowd. This Sunday’s scriptures remind us that following Christ will often put us at odds with the values and expectations of the world around us. Jeremiah cries out, “You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped.” He discovered that answering God’s call was not always easy or comfortable. God’s invitation can lead us places we would not necessarily choose for ourselves. Faith requires the courage to trust God even when the path is difficult. Jesus makes that challenge even more direct: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny...