A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 16:24-28)
Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?”
With the words from today’s Gospel, Jesus proposes with all who would hear him the purpose and goal of discipleship: pick up your cross and follow him for the sake of eternal life. The paradox he presents to the disciples refers to the cross of this earthly existence and the Second Coming when “the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory.” In losing this life for his sake, losing oneself in the cross, new life comes to be; in a lifetime of losing one’s life for his sake, enteral life comes to be. What degree of loss am I willing to assume for the Lord’s sake?
Lord, you desire to bring me into your glory as an adopted son through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus your Son. What is the difficulty, what obstacle is there in seeing that in losing my life for your sake there is no loss but only gain? Help me remove any doubt that prevents me from losing my life, even little bits of my life, for your sake. Help me trust you. As Moses says in the first reading: “This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other.” Lord, teach me to fix my heart on you.
From the responsorial psalm: “I remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I remember your wonders of old. And I meditate on your works; your exploits I ponder.” Saint Clare, pray for us!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.