We are called to give ourselves away.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
It isn't that we are called to hate this life in the flesh as that we are called to love and long for the life of heaven so much that our love for this life seems like hate by comparison. There are things which need last and things which do not. We tend to value temporary things more. We often let these drive our actions day to day. In a way, this makes sense. Temporary means that the consequences of our relationship to these things is more immediate than our relationship to eternal things. But this means we neglect eternal things all too often. We begin to care more about our own comfort and become complacent in relation to God and neighbor.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.
Jesus never takes his eyes off of the prize. He never forgets the eternal to settle for what is merely temporary.
We must never stop "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (See Hebrews 12:2).
One might assume that because Jesus came to serve and not be served that he himself would be less fulfilled, less peaceful, and less joyful. But there has never been anyone so filled with the fruits of the Spirit as he. This is the example followed by Saint Lawrence and all of the martyrs. The realize that true joy comes not from what we can get for ourselves but from what we can give away. We ourselves don't have much to give. We know this all too well. But the Spirit is able to produce a bountiful harvest even working through such as us.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
So we are without excuse. We know we are meant to give ourselves away and that in doing so we find life. We have the grace to do it. What are we waiting for?
Lavishly he gives to the poor,
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
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