Greetings on this the Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Readings: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6; Luke 9:22-25
Summary
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”
Our gospel portion today contains two small yet supreme teachings of Jesus.
- The First Prediction of the Passion – the first of three wherein the Lord reveals himself as the Suffering Servant and Conqueror of Death.
Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
- The Conditions of Discipleship – A readiness to follow Jesus even to giving up one’s life for him is the condition for true discipleship; this will be repaid by him at the final judgment (USCCB Commentary, MT 16:24).
Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”
A Way of Life in the Commandments – Choice and Fullness
In our old testament reading we have the admonition of Moses.
Moses said to the people: “Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees.
I call heaven and earth today to witness against [For/To] you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you.
A Way of Blessed Life – Choice and Fullness
The psalmist brings the moral dimension to the question.
Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked Nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, But delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night.
Forfeit Himself
The chilling reality of a lawless, immoral life is the forfeiture of real life, of the very self. Said a different way, there is nothing in part or whole nor is there enough things in total throughout the entire Universe that equates to the equal of yourself.
YOU are MORE than EVERYTHING.
Lent Today
So Moses gave us the Law (commandments), the psalmist gave us the results of Blessedness and Jesus gives us the comparison by how very we are valued – beyond all things.
May your lent today be to VALUE your very self as the Lord values you!
Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030625.cfm
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry