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.”

Reflection:

Whoever wishes to come after me. Jesus is unlike many generals. They command their soldiers to undergo dangerous and difficult missions while they monitor things and give orders from the safety of their headquarters. Jesus declares that he is going to suffer and die and be raised up again. He challenges us to take the same path: deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him. But he asks us to go only where he himself has gone, and he goes ahead of us. Our advantage is this. The one who invites us to take the way of the cross has already crossed over from death to life. In other words, we see that his way is truly victorious, is the way to victory, and is the only way!

Jesus teaches us that the way to true life is the way of self-forgetfulness and the way of sacrifice in obedience to God and for the salvation of men and women, in imitation of Christ.

Ask Jesus for the courage to walk in his way,

the way followed by all the saints.