Reflection for August 9 Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time: 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:

During the fifteenth century a rich and educated man named Bernadino Realino left everything for Christ. At 26 he was already a lawyer,  a doctor and a town mayor, he had everything that a young man could ever ask for. 

When he was 34, he went to attend a retreat and during that retreat he felt an overwhelming call from Jesus to become a priest. Thus, he left everything to become a priest and from that moment onwards he devoted his life to serve the poor.     

This saint found the real meaning of his life by leaving all of his earthly riches and attachments in favor of Jesus. He found his heavenly wealth by leaving behind his earthly wealth. He knew that nothing compares to Jesus. 

This is an eye opener for all of us who are so very enamoured by material wealth and earthly power. Many of us are so taken by the things of this world that we take Jesus for granted in favor of this world. But everything from this world is passing and temporary, someday we will leave it behind. 

We will have neither earthly influence nor riches if we decide to follow Jesus. We would be losing many of our friends if we follow Jesus. But all of these earthly trappings are immaterial compared to the life that awaits us if we decide hear the call of Jesus. 

To hear the call of Jesus is to be willing to leave behind our sinfulness, our arrogance and egotism. To hear the call of Jesus is to be willing to be present at Holy Mass and read the bible. To hear the call of Jesus is to have the courage to leave behind friends who do nothing to us except to influence us to sin. To hear the call of Jesus is to desire to serve the poor and downtrodden without expecting anything in return.  

Are you willing to leave everything for the sake of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas