DO YOU WISH TO FOLLOW JESUS? ~ CookingFood.Org

“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”

Daily Reflections

Friday, 11^th August 2017,

Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Memorial of St. Clare

Dt 4: 32-40;

Ps 77: 12-16, 21 (R) 12;

Mt 16:24-28

DO YOU WISH TO FOLLOW JESUS?

Jesus tells us in the gospel that we must deny our self to follow him. Deny means disown, disregard, forsake, renounce, reject, refuse, restrain, disclaim, subdue, disregard one's self or interest. It is saying 'yes' to Christ and 'no' to self. The reason for such denial is that our soul is worth more than the whole world. Once a man has lost his soul, it is lost. It cannot be bought back. The man who forfeits it, suffers the loss of it forever.

There is a very important word in this statement of Jesus. It’s the word “must.” Jesus did not say that you have to follow me by carrying your cross. He said that whoever wishes to follow me. So the first question should be: Do you wish to follow Jesus? Wishing to follow Jesus means denying yourself and taking up your cross. So do you wish to follow Him?

If the answer is “Yes.” This is no small commitment. Denying yourself and taking up your cross is actually a far more glorious life than we could ever come up with on our own. It’s a blessed life of grace and the only path to ultimate fulfillment in life. Nothing could be better than completely entering into a life of total self-sacrifice by dying to ourselves.

Reflect, today, on whether or not you are willing to say “Yes” to this question with your whole life. Are you willing to embrace the life of sacrifice to which Jesus is calling you? Say “Yes,” today, tomorrow and every day through your actions and you’ll see glorious things take place in your life.

Prayer: Lord, I do wish to follow You and I choose, today, to deny all my selfishness. I choose to carry the cross of selfless living to which I am called. May I embrace my cross with joy and be transformed by You through that choice. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.