Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Reflection

In today’s Gospel, we hear of the sacrifices the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, is called to face not for His own sake but for the sake of humanity. It is because of God’s never ending love for us, His beloved children, that Christ willingly carries His own cross. However, as Luke writes, we too are called to make sacrifices just as Christ did, “[to] take up [our] cross daily and follow [Christ].” Thus, we are called to live for God through our words and our actions towards others. In doing this, we are denying ourselves as we are called to do in the Gospel not because we are rejecting our well-being, but because we are putting other’s needs before our own and thus, we put God before ourselves. Ultimately, Christ is calling us to overcome our human selfishness and pride.  Christ’s call contradicts the message that is professed by society, but as Christians we are called to be countercultural just as Christ was and, just as Christ faced many challenges, we are bound to face many of our own along our own journey. Despite these challenges, by refocusing our attention from ourselves to the needs of others, we become a conduit for the Holy Spirit and share the love of God with our sisters and brothers in Christ. By doing this, we can find true peace and happiness in God, for as the Gospel for today concludes, “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”

Prayer

Lord God, help us become the conduit of Your love towards others and help us see past the blindness induced by our own selfishness so we can find true happiness through the denial of ourselves in service to our sisters and brothers in Christ.  In Your name, we pray, Amen.

Michael O’Neill, ‘13

Scripture

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30: 15-20
Psalm 1:1-4, 6

Gospel: Luke 9:22-25

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website