Gospel: Matthew 19:23-30
Jesus
said to his disciples: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to
pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom
of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who
then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have
given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to
them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when
the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up
houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the
sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal
life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
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Reflection:
What have
you given up for your love of Jesus? Have you given up your vices and your
sinfulness?
In the
gospel Peter said to Jesus, “We have given up everything and followed you. What
will there be for us?” Perhaps this is also your question before Jesus, What
will there be for me your follower? Ah, Jesus would probably say, there would be
peace in your life, there would be less human created stress and so forth.
But
judging from the life of Jesus and of those who faithfully followed Him its
hardships, sacrifices, poverty and even martyrdom. Now that you have an idea, would you still follow? You should still follow Jesus even if people will persecute you for
following Him, even if there would be hardships and sacrifices. For this is the
true measure of your discipleship.
Remember that before gold becomes a magnificent piece of jewelry it passes
through severe testing by fire. And before a diamond is made it goes through
several hard processes that involves crushing, cutting and refining.
So is your
life with Jesus, there would be humps and bumps here and there. But nothing to
worry about these humps and bumps for its just part of the testing of your faith
and certainly part of your purification.
Will you
still faithfully follow Jesus from now on notwithstanding the humps and bumps in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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