1 Pt 1:10-16
Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
Mk 10:28-31 Full Readings
Give up Everything and Follow Me
Brethren, Jesus, after telling us to sell everything and follow him, as if it is not enough, today he calls us to leave and give up everything and follow him. Right after a wealthy young man refused to follow Jesus, because he was un wiling to sell everything, give the money to the poor, and then follow Christ, Peter, somewhat crudely wanted to know what he and the other disciples would get out of it since they had freely accepted Jesus' offer to follow him unconditionally. Jesus spoke with utter honesty: Those who left everything; has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for his sake and for the sake of the Gospel would receive a hundred times more now, even in this life, as well as unending life in the age to come. Are we ready to leave everything behind and follow Christ.
What does Jesus really mean here? The previous gospel he approves the law which includes loving and respecting one's parents as a source of blessings, and today he tells us to give them up for his sake. Is he contradicting himself? No! Clement of Alexandria, 150-215 A.D. encourages us to attend more to the spiritual sense of this command: "Do not let this passage trouble you. Put it side by side with the still harder saying Jesus delivered in another place in the words, 'Whoever hates not father, and mother, and children, and his own life besides, cannot be my disciple' (Luke 14:26). Note that the God of peace, who exhorts us to love our enemies, does not arbitrarily require us literally to hate or abandon those dearest to us. But if we are to love our enemies, it must be in accordance with right reason that, by analogy we should also love our nearest relatives... But insofar as one's father, or son, or brother, becomes for you a hindrance to faith or an impediment to godly life, one should then not collude with that temptation. Attend to the spiritual, rather than the fleshly, meaning of the command." (excerpt from SALVATION OF THE RICH MAN 22.13).
Jesus, inviting us to leave everything and follow him, invites us to give up and leave up anything that can come in our way of following him, be it your parents, your house, your wife or anything precious to you; if it blocks your way of serving God, your should give it up. It is not an easy teaching brethren, but the love of God compels us to choose who or what will be first in our lives. To place any relationship or any possession above God is a form of idolatry, and so Jesus always challenges us to examine who we love first. We have to love God above all if we really want to be his authentic disciples, and at last behold the glory which is to come. It is a difficult choice to make for the world always entices us with good things to love them first before God but the good news is that when we choose to love God first and be his disciples he doesn't leave us alone; he gives us his Spirit who enables us to make such a radical decision. Does the love for Christ compel you to put God first in all that you do?
When Christ calls, some are called to give up much and follow Christ, for instance, those called to the monastic life or a cloister as a religious sister, who truly give up everything of this world to seek out and follow the invitation of Christ to follow Him in this radical way; others can be called to give up everything in a different way. The bottom line is that all of us are called to give up “everything” to follow Christ in our own unique way. By giving up everything, we are called to completely surrender our own will and preferences in life to serve Christ in accord with His divine plan. This may take on many forms but, in the end, it’s always a call to give up everything.
Reflect today on your calling to give up everything, in your unique way, and follow Jesus. Giving up everything” is nothing other than giving up our own selfish ideals and preferences in life. Pray for the Spirit of discernment so that you will understand what really Jesus is calling you to give up and follow him in your own state of life, and do not let anything come into your way of following Christ knowing that the life God has in store for us is far better than we can dream of or imagine.
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus, I want to always heed to your call of giving up everything that blocks me from becoming your disciple. Grant me your grace and your Spirit that in making this radical decision daily, I may find your helping and consoling love. Amen
Be blessed.
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