8/5/2022 Today’s Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:24-28
24 Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
26 What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
27 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.
28 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.”
8/5/2022 Today’s Gospel Reflection: Matthew 16:24-28
Follow me or come to me is always the invitation of Jesus. Yet in the gospel passage above, He gave us two important requirements to follow Him: first, we must deny ourselves and second, we must take up our cross. These are not easy demands.
Denying ourselves means to prioritize Jesus and not ourselves. Our life is not only for entertainment nor for pleasurable activities. There is a deeper purpose why we are alive and that is to become children in whom God is well-pleased. That is why we need to get rid of all the things that displease Him.
Taking up our cross is related to the first requirement. If we have to follow Jesus then we need to follow Him all the way to Calvary. Yet, the cross of Jesus is different from ours. We may have a similar mission with Him but we need not be physically crucified. We just have to die to ourselves every day so that we can live in Christ and with Christ.
In the end, discipleship is a matter of choice. If we choose Jesus then we have to forget ourselves and focus on Him.
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The words of Jesus in this gospel reading call us to a higher standard of living and challenge us to prioritize our spiritual well-being over worldly gains. But what does it mean to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus in our daily lives? Let’s explore this with some practical examples.
1. Denying Ourselves
To deny oneself means to put aside our selfish desires and ambitions to align our lives with God’s will. This doesn’t mean we neglect our needs or passions, but we should evaluate them in the light of our faith.
Practical Example: Consider the case of a successful professional who feels called to serve in a mission field. Denying oneself might mean taking a sabbatical or even leaving a high-paying job to pursue this calling. This act of faith demonstrates prioritizing God’s plan over personal success.
2. Taking Up Our Cross
Taking up our cross symbolizes accepting the trials and sacrifices that come with being a disciple of Christ. It means embracing challenges with a faithful heart, knowing that these experiences strengthen our relationship with God.
Practical Example: Think of a person who faces ridicule for their faith at work or school. Instead of compromising their beliefs to fit in, they choose to stand firm. This might involve respectfully declining activities that go against their values or speaking out for justice and truth, even when it’s unpopular.
3. Following Jesus
Following Jesus requires a daily commitment to walk in His footsteps, embodying His teachings in our actions and decisions.
Practical Example: A Christian business owner might ensure their company operates with integrity, fairness, and compassion. This could mean providing fair wages, creating a supportive work environment, and engaging in ethical practices. By doing so, they reflect Christ’s love and principles in the marketplace.
4. Losing Our Life to Find It
Jesus teaches that in losing our life for His sake, we truly find it. This paradox highlights that true fulfillment comes from living a life dedicated to God.
Practical Example: A young person might choose to spend their weekends volunteering at a local shelter instead of engaging in more self-indulgent activities. In giving their time and energy to help others, they discover a deeper sense of purpose and joy that surpasses fleeting pleasures.
5. Eternal Perspective
Jesus reminds us that earthly gains are temporary, but our souls are eternal. This perspective helps us prioritize our spiritual journey and live with the end in mind.
Practical Example: An investor might allocate a portion of their earnings to support missions and charitable causes rather than solely focusing on accumulating wealth. By investing in God’s kingdom, they store up treasures in heaven that have eternal significance.
Embracing the call to discipleship as described in the gospel passage above is a journey of transformation. It involves daily decisions to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus with an eternal perspective. By living out these principles, we not only grow closer to God but also become beacons of His love and truth in a world that desperately needs it. Let’s commit to this path, trusting that in losing our life for Christ, we will indeed find it.
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In this Gospel narrative, Jesus offers a different and radical invitation in contrast to what the world teaches us: to fight for recognition, assert our identity, and accumulate success. Instead of a call to self-promotion, he invites us to self-denial. Not a race to be first, but a journey where we willingly walk second, sometimes even last, because we are following Someone greater than ourselves.
Jesus offered this challenging path not to punish or burden us, but to awaken us to what real life is all about. The irony is striking: to truly live, we must first let go of what we think gives us life.
This kind of life requires intention. It means no longer making decisions based solely on convenience, comfort, or approval. It’s the kind of life where our desires no longer sit on the throne of our hearts, and where obedience becomes more valuable than applause. It’s not easy. In fact, it feels like dying such as dying to pride, to ego, to self-interest. But in that death, something more beautiful is born: the life we were always meant to live.
Take a look, for example, at the story of a successful lawyer who gave up a lucrative career to serve in a poor village because she felt God calling her to defend the rights of those who had no voice. Friends said she wasted her education, her connections, her future. But she smiles, because in “losing” all of that, she found peace, purpose, and joy that no paycheck could ever provide.
It’s also the story of a young man who gave up a prestigious job offer abroad to stay home and care for his aging parents. He chose family over ambition. People thought he was foolish, but he found something deeper, love that is patient, kindness that is quiet, and dignity in sacrifice.
This is what it looks like to live beyond oneself. To give up the throne of our hearts and let Christ lead.
It’s not about hating yourself. It’s about loving God more than your own plans. It’s about exchanging temporary victories for eternal rewards. It’s about remembering that even if we gain all the recognition, wealth, and power this world offers, it will never compare to the fulfillment of living a life anchored in purpose and truth.
There will be moments when the path feels lonely, when you look around and see others rising while you seem to be falling behind. But God sees your quiet obedience. He notices the silent tears, the unseen sacrifices, the integrity that costs you. And He promises that none of it is in vain.
Every small choice to follow Christ, even when it hurts, leads to a bigger, deeper, more eternal outcome. This life we’re called to is not just about the here and now. It’s about something far greater. It’s about a Kingdom that isn’t seen yet, but will one day be revealed in full glory. And those who walked the narrow road, those who lost their lives for the sake of Christ, will be the ones who truly find them.
So the question is not, “What am I willing to gain?” but rather, “What am I willing to give up?”
Because the true measure of life isn’t in how much we keep, but in how much we surrender. And in surrendering, we don’t lose. We win. We find a joy the world can’t take away. We discover a strength that doesn’t come from self. We inherit a future that doesn’t fade.
In the end, the paradox becomes clear: it’s only when we stop chasing after our own version of life that we truly find the life God prepared for us all along.