Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
The point was not that we should make ourselves miserable by subjecting ourselves to unnecessary suffering. The point was that our commitment to Jesus must be such that there is nothing on earth that we would prefer. In order to seek first the Kingdom we must be willing to deny ourselves other things, and limit other options. For one in the world there might be a variety of paths that are equally valid. But for the Christian the only valid path is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
take up his cross, and follow me.
The point was not that we should make ourselves miserable by subjecting ourselves to unnecessary suffering. The point was that our commitment to Jesus must be such that there is nothing on earth that we would prefer. In order to seek first the Kingdom we must be willing to deny ourselves other things, and limit other options. For one in the world there might be a variety of paths that are equally valid. But for the Christian the only valid path is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
We are called to live lives of self-sacrificial love. But, as any parent will attest, this involves a fair amount of self-denial. They might prefer to sleep, but often must choose the care of a child instead. They might have a variety of ways they would prefer to spend their income, but they must use it to provide the essentials of food, clothing, and other needs for their kids. They might prefer to sit back and relax. But the child might be hungry, or need a ride somewhere, or any of an infinite number of other possibilities. Parents know well that having children is a form that the cross of Jesus takes in their lives. But it is an area where they are often most able to perceive that it is worth it. Parents who don't perceive this, who tally up all the effort their children require, who only ever put their children because they feel forced to do so, end up with attitudes of animosity that prevent them from being good parents. But parenthood is a real example were it is often something extrinsic to ourselves that we must prefer over our intrinsic and, in that sense, more natural motivations. Parents can't always do even all of the good things they might wish. How much more, then, are followers of Jesus required to choose love of God and neighbor over the sinful inclinations, tendencies that remain in their hearts even after they come to faith in him. And there are a vast number of things which, good in themselves, must not be allowed to come before the call of Jesus to seek first his Kingdom in our lives.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
If we analyze the things we are tempted to prefer to life-giving selfless love we will find that they all have limited returns, whereas the return for love is infinite. Relaxation, sensual pleasure, power, and pride all have limits. They can never satisfy entirely no matter how much we dedicate heart and soul to their pursuit. Do we want to commit ourselves to love, which alone can outlast the temporal world? Or do we prefer to anchor our identity in things destined to disappear? This is not to say we don't enjoy the good things of this world in some measure. But we must consider whether the way we enjoy them is ordered to the praise and glory of God, or whether they have become instead idols and ends we pursue for their own sake.
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
It may seem that we can choose to love or fail to do so without consequence. But assuredly the consequences are only delayed. This delay prevents our love from being motivated only by our selfish desire for reward. But by choosing love we signal our desire to be transformed so as to live in love, love that is the self-definition of God, for all eternity. There is no greater reward possible. But it is possible to receive the reward for failing to choose love, in which our desire to be identified with that which is temporary and destined for destruction is granted. May neither we nor anyone ever so choose.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.
Perhaps this passage referred to Peter, James, and John, who were soon to witness the Transfiguration. But it can refer to us as well. After all, this Sunday, and indeed every day, Jesus comes to the Kingdom of his Church as the Eucharistic Lord. We taste, not death, but the bread of life eternal. May we recognize, hidden in the plain white host, the Son of Man coming to us.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
If we analyze the things we are tempted to prefer to life-giving selfless love we will find that they all have limited returns, whereas the return for love is infinite. Relaxation, sensual pleasure, power, and pride all have limits. They can never satisfy entirely no matter how much we dedicate heart and soul to their pursuit. Do we want to commit ourselves to love, which alone can outlast the temporal world? Or do we prefer to anchor our identity in things destined to disappear? This is not to say we don't enjoy the good things of this world in some measure. But we must consider whether the way we enjoy them is ordered to the praise and glory of God, or whether they have become instead idols and ends we pursue for their own sake.
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
It may seem that we can choose to love or fail to do so without consequence. But assuredly the consequences are only delayed. This delay prevents our love from being motivated only by our selfish desire for reward. But by choosing love we signal our desire to be transformed so as to live in love, love that is the self-definition of God, for all eternity. There is no greater reward possible. But it is possible to receive the reward for failing to choose love, in which our desire to be identified with that which is temporary and destined for destruction is granted. May neither we nor anyone ever so choose.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.
Perhaps this passage referred to Peter, James, and John, who were soon to witness the Transfiguration. But it can refer to us as well. After all, this Sunday, and indeed every day, Jesus comes to the Kingdom of his Church as the Eucharistic Lord. We taste, not death, but the bread of life eternal. May we recognize, hidden in the plain white host, the Son of Man coming to us.
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