THURSDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2023
Luke 9, 22-25:
“Whoever wishes to follow me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit anyone to gain the whole world if they lose or destroy themselves?
How difficult it is for us to understand these words of Jesus! They are words of the Gospel that many would like to erase.
They speak of suffering, of being executed, of denying oneself, of the cross, of losing one’s life.
But they also speak of winning, of salvation, of resurrection.
Jesus is neither a masochist nor does he want us to be masochists.
Jesus brings us joy and life. And that is what this Gospel text says.
By following him we find LIFE.
Carrying the cross we come to LIFE.
By losing our life we find LIFE.
Jesus invites us at the beginning of Lent to follow him in giving his life for the salvation of others in the mission that he entrusts to each one of us.
Will you dare this Lent to follow in his footsteps until Easter?
Do not doubt it: this is how you will win your life because, in the end, what you win is LIFE.
Good day to you.
Antonio Sanjuan Cmf
