Jesus has a distinctive way of turning things upside down, and today’s reading from chapter 16 of Matthew’s Gospel taken from the Daily Office is such an example:
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?”
Jesus tells his disciples that following him will not be easy. Being a Christian, especially in today’s world, can be “tough duty.” The world promises us that we will be happy and complete if we live in the most prestigious neighborhood, wear designer clothes, drive the right car, have the latest electronic gadget, have that “beautiful” look, and the list goes on and on.
Jesus tells us quite the opposite. What he says seems counterintuitive, “if we lose, we will find.” In order to follow Jesus, we are called to give of ourselves to others in the name of Jesus. “Those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” Just ask St. Francis of Assisi who lived a life of poverty but was free, or Mother Teresa who gave her life in service to the poorest of the poor.
To paraphrase Jesus, “What will it profit me if I sell my soul for a designer suit as I drive my new Porshe Boxter while talking on my I-phone G3 as I pull into the driveway of my newly constructed mansion.” All of these things become old, break and are thrown away. A life time of a devoted relationship to Christ and living in his service, however, lasts an eternity.
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?”
Jesus tells his disciples that following him will not be easy. Being a Christian, especially in today’s world, can be “tough duty.” The world promises us that we will be happy and complete if we live in the most prestigious neighborhood, wear designer clothes, drive the right car, have the latest electronic gadget, have that “beautiful” look, and the list goes on and on.
Jesus tells us quite the opposite. What he says seems counterintuitive, “if we lose, we will find.” In order to follow Jesus, we are called to give of ourselves to others in the name of Jesus. “Those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” Just ask St. Francis of Assisi who lived a life of poverty but was free, or Mother Teresa who gave her life in service to the poorest of the poor.
To paraphrase Jesus, “What will it profit me if I sell my soul for a designer suit as I drive my new Porshe Boxter while talking on my I-phone G3 as I pull into the driveway of my newly constructed mansion.” All of these things become old, break and are thrown away. A life time of a devoted relationship to Christ and living in his service, however, lasts an eternity.
No comments:
Post a Comment