Gospel Reading – Matthew 34: 11:1
Jesus said, ‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
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; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’
Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities.
The Gospel of the Lord
The Mass intentions is for
Reflection
My Friends today’s readings contain some of what are called the hard sayings of Jesus: choosing to follow him means some hard choices in life, some involving our closest relationships. In the depth of my heart, I know this is true, and I look back at when I paid a high price to follow Jesus and his values, and at other times when I was not brave enough to do so. I pray for a generous and strong spirit.
Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. Finding and losing my life: can anything be more important for me than this?
The experience of the pandemic makes this very clear. Yet I realise there are many levels of finding and losing one’s life. I ask for the grace to know how to lose my life for the sake of Jesus.
- Do I want to save my life or to lose it?
- Am I ready to lose it, or do I cling on for fear of losing it?