A reading from the Gospel according to: Matthew 10:37-42

37 Jesus said to his apostles: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
38 and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.
39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

Today’s gospel reflection: Matthew 10:37-42

How do you make a decision?

In life, we make a lot of choices. In fact, a large part of our life today is the result of the choices we had made in the past. In the same manner, the decisions we make today determines our future. So how do we make decision so that we will have a peaceful and happy life?

There are times when making decision is not easy especially if our basic principles in life are involved. In these moments, we often make compromises and many times we choose what is convenient for the time being. Rather than fight for what is right, we often opt to stay in our comfort zone and protect our peace of mind. When faced with a choice between God and worldly things, many of us choose the latter.

For this reason, Jesus is telling us that we are not worthy of Him if we make decision based on convenience such as for the sake of personal advantage, for family, and even for the sake of temporary peace. In the process, we compromise the values and principles of love and justice. Jesus is challenging us to always make personal sacrifices for the sake of His kingdom – that is, for us to accept wholeheartedly His offer of salvation by turning away from the world and to follow Him.

Following the path of Jesus entails a lot of difficult decisions. There are many crosses, i.e. hindrances, along the way. Sometimes these difficulties include family and loved ones. Often times, the decision is whether to turn back or to proceed. May we always decide in favor of the gospel message, that is, to carry our crosses, deny ourselves and to focus on Him. In doing this, we will receive our just reward of true peace, real happiness and eternal life.

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Kindness such as giving a cup of water to someone who is thirsty is a priceless commodity. Yet too often this value is lost in many people. It is forgotten or ignored or taken for granted. Surely, it is not lost in the record of heaven. God looks down with merciful eyes upon a kind person.

The gospel reading above tells us that Jesus who embodies the value of compassion must take the number one spot in our scale of values. He cannot be treated as our second best option. Above all things including our very own life or family, we must choose to follow Him and in following Him, He is teaching us, not just to be kind, but to give our whole being in the service of others. For the life of a Christian is giving oneself to others, going out of one’s comfort zone to serve the last, the lost, and the least. In doing so, our reward is great when the right time comes.

*****

There are moments when the calls of this world feel incredibly heavy. We are constantly pulled by competing loyalties including the desire for comfort, the approval of our loved ones, and the instinct to protect our own security. It is precisely into this landscape of competing affections that Jesus speaks some of His most challenging, yet deeply liberating words. He calls us to a love so fierce and a commitment so absolute that it reorders every single relationship in our lives.

To hear that loving mother, father, son, or daughter more than Christ makes us “not worthy of him” can feel jarring at first glance. But this isn’t a call to love our families less; it is an invitation to love God first. When our primary allegiance is anchored in the divine, our human loves are not diminished; they are properly ordered. They become healthier, freer, and less burdened by the impossible expectation that another human being can fulfill our souls.

Jesus then pivots to the ultimate paradox of the spiritual journey:
“Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”

To take up a cross is to make a conscious choice to surrender our own demands for comfort, safety, and control. It means letting go of the small, tightly managed life we try to build for ourselves in order to receive the expansive, eternal life God has planned for us. In a culture that tells us to self-protect and self-promote at all costs, this is a radical counter-cultural anthem. True fulfillment is never found in hoarding our days, our energy, or our love. It is found in giving them away.

Yet, Christ does not leave us in the weight of the sacrifice. He immediately transitions into the beautiful economy of grace, reminding us that no act of faithfulness goes unnoticed. He connects the grandest sacrifice, that is, losing one’s life, with the smallest, most ordinary acts of kindness: giving a cup of cold water to a “little one.”

This is where the passage becomes profoundly inspiring for our daily lives. You do not need a massive platform or global influence to live out this radical calling. The same Jesus who asks for your whole heart also sees the quiet, unglamorous choices you make every day. He sees when you extend patience to a difficult colleague, when you offer an encouraging word to a stranger, or when you share what you have with someone in need. In God’s kingdom, the metrics of success are entirely upside down. Greatness is measured by love, and eternity is shifted through small, faithful actions done for His sake.

Take heart today. The invitation to follow Christ is costly, yes, but the reward is incomparable. As you choose to put Him first, you will find that the life you thought you were losing is actually the very life you were always meant to live.