Mk 8:34–9:1
Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the Gospel will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
What could one give in exchange for his life?
Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words
in this faithless and sinful generation,
the Son of Man will be ashamed of
when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
He also said to them,
“Amen, I say to you,
there are some standing here who will not taste death
until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in power.”
Reflections
Today’s Gospel is a hard, realistic look at discipleship. Jesus tells
us that following him is not a matter of glamour or prestige, but will
of ten cause discomfort or pain. Just as the martyrs laid down their
very lives, we are also called to give God what is most precious to
us. In denying ourselves for His sake, we may have to change certain
habits, risk losing the affection of people dear to us, or give up the
comfort of familiar mind-sets.
As we grow in our journey with God, we may find Him asking us for more
and more. We should not let this frighten or discourage us, for He is
only teaching us to trust and love Him more than the things He gives
us. In our everyday lives, He gives us many opportunities to deny our
self-centeredness that is used to being in control. Although our God
may sometimes seem demanding, we can never match His generosity. Any
thing we give up to be with Him is nothing compared to what He has in
store for us, for only in Him will we find the life we truly desire.
(Reflections of Fr. Rick)