Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest
God has a voice, even in the silence; we listen quietly in communion with the Real Presence. In adoration, you may experience the voice of God speaking from fire. In prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, our hearts are graced with forgiveness and offered peace. Such times can be an invitation to discipleship, to follow the standard of the cross set by the Gospel.
Placing myself back in time with Jesus, I confess my complete confusion about his reference to take up the cross. I can feel myself pulling away. I don’t want to hear where this is going. The Romans lined the roads outside Jerusalem with crosses on which the crucified were hung. This is the most agonizing form of death.
Jesus predicts that his suffering death was drawing near, saying, whoever seeks to save his life will lose it. The paradoxical statement, “whoever loses his life for my sake will find it,” highlights the eternal perspective to surrender one’s life to Jesus over clinging to worldly pursuits. The transient nature of earthly gains yields to the enduring reward of a life devoted to Christ.
The gospel invites a radical change, one of complete surrender to Christ. The disciples failed to understand, yet his words stirred their hearts. Jesus readied them for his departure and their uncertain future. Like the disciples, our minds grapple with the weight of his teachings and the implications for our own lives. We face the radical call to discipleship in following the gospel.
Consider the challenges you face following Christ, willing to let go of your agendas and fully submit to facing difficulty or opposition? We are reminded that the gospel is lived by aligning our lives with the teachings and example of Jesus, even when it requires sacrifice on our part. Joy flows freely in the act of self-giving love of God working in and through our lives.
Let us pray.
Your ways make known to me, O Lord, to follow you in joy and confidence. May the light of your love illuminate my life, seeking the Father’s kingdom in the mystery of the Eucharist, Life of the World. Amen.
