The Conditions of Discipleship

Today's Reflections

 The Conditions of Discipleship 

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Lk 9:22-25

²² [Jesus] said, “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.”

²³Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. ²⁵What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”

Reflection:

The Son of Man must suffer greatly. Jesus prophesies here already his own paschal mystery, his passing over from death to life through his passion, death, and resurrection. He tells his disciples not only what will happen to him but also the need for them to follow his paschal path if they want to find real life.

Jesus asks his followers to deny themselves. He is not asking us to deny our true selves made in the image and likeness of God who is love. He asks us to say no to our selfish and false self which seeks to be the center of the universe. When we strip ourselves of this false self, our true self which God desires emerges.

A man once expressed admiration for a beautiful sculpture that Michelangelo made out of a big block of marble. Michelangelo replied, “That statue was already inside the rock. I just had to chisel away the chips that were hiding it.”

Allow God to chip away the pieces

that cover your real self.