The Conditions of Discipleship

Today's Reflections

 

The Conditions of Discipleship

Mt 16:24-28

²⁴Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ²⁶What 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? ²⁷For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct. ²⁸Amen, 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.”

What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? These days we are often asked to consider if an endeavor is profitable. What is an activity worth in terms of the time we will spend on it and the possible monetary gain? But should profitability be our only criterion in choosing our life’s work? If it is, then we may find at the end that though we achieved what we set out to do, we missed out on what is truly important.

The Lord invites us to follow him. He does not promise that our journey with him will be easy. In fact, as his disciples, we are expected to take up our cross and deny ourselves. But it is in the sacrifice of the cross that we learn what is truly valuable. It is in losing everything for Christ that we gain everything with Christ. Our reward in the next life is unending joy and happiness with God.

“Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my entire will, all I have and call my own. You have given all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours;

do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace. That is enough for me”

(St. Ignatius of Loyola, Suscipe).