Reflection for Friday August 8 Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest: Matthew 16:24-28

Gospel: Matthew 16:24-28

Jesus said to his disciples, “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 will find it. 

What 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? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay each according to his conduct. Amen, 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.”

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Reflection:

What is a meaningful and well-lived life? 

It is a life lived for the greater glory of God—a life not centered on ourselves or our fleeting earthly achievements, but on our relationship with the One who created us. 

So often, we fall into the trap of living only for what this world can give. We chase success, wealth, recognition, and pleasure, believing that these things will fill the deepest longings of our hearts. 

But even after achieving all these, we may still find ourselves asking: Why am I not truly happy? Worse, we may feel empty and alone—surrounded by abundance yet starving for meaning. 

Why does this happen? 

Because our hearts were not made for this world. We were created by God and for God, and our souls will always remain restless until they rest in Him. We desire the things of this world, yet we fail to see that many of them enslave us—binding us with false promises that can never satisfy the soul. 

Everything we have here is temporary. Even we, who walk this earth today, are but pilgrims—passing through this world on our way to our true home in heaven. 

God did not create us for earthly riches but for eternal joy in His presence. And yet, many still don’t understand this. We accumulate more than we need. Some even go so far as to sacrifice their values and sell their souls just to gain what the world calls "success." 

But in today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us of a powerful truth: the true meaning of life is found only in living for Him. We will never find lasting peace or purpose in wealth, power, or glamour. These things will fade. Only a life rooted in Christ—a life of faith, surrender, and love—will endure. 

Let us ask ourselves today: Am I living for the glory of God or for the fleeting glories of this world? May we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us back to what truly matters: a life lived in union with Jesus, full of grace, purpose, and eternal hope. — Marino J. Dasmarinas