The Seven Founders of the Servite Order
Deny Yourself
Today, we come to the end of the aetiological myths (story explaining a familiar but unusual feature) which we have been reading from the book of Genesis 1-12. We have seen how the world was formed, how sin entered into the world, why a snake has no legs, why there is hard work and labour, why there is pain during giving birth and many others and today we see why there are many different languages. God after blessing Noah with many descendants, God portioned the lands to Noah's descendants to live apart from each other and fill the earth. But these people wanted to stay together since they spoke the same language, and so they decided to build a tall tower (Tower of Babel) which reaches the sky (perhaps they wanted to reach where God stays) to stay together and not to be scattered through the earth. This again is a determined disobedience of God who had scattered them around the earth. As a divine punishment, God confused their language into different languages so that they could no longer communicate with each and so they had to slink off to cover the face of the world. That is why we have many languages. Our disobedience to God and to what he tells and teaches us will always come with a cost. May the Holy Spirit always guide us to discern God's will in our lives and do it so that we shall remain blessed.
In the Gospel, Jesus' will is that whoever wants to follow him must deny himself, carry his cross and then follow him, and that whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Jesus' sake and that of the Gospel will save it. He asks a very fundamental reflective question: "What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" Of course, many of us would wish to gain every material thing we desire, but, on the hand, it is possible that some can gain all the things they set their heart on, only to wake up suddenly and discover that they missed the most important things of all. Of what value are material things if they don't help you gain what truly lasts in eternity. Neither money nor possessions can buy heaven, mend a broken heart, or cheer a lonely person. And so, Jesus wants us to set our priorities right, to make him our priority for he alone can give eternal life.
Does it mean that those who are materially rich will lose eternal life? Well, the answer depends on what attitude that person has. With that said, there might be a very rare soul, that person, who has many things in this world but has no attachment to them at all. They live completely detached from the things of this world, finding true satisfaction only in God and His holy will, becoming indifferent to any material things they have. Of course, this is a very difficult interior disposition for one to arrive at when they have accumulated much wealth. But the attitude of not putting material things first, of not making them a priority in life, though he has much, but putting God's will first win him eternal life.
Alternately, there are those in this world who have very little, do they have a direct ticket to eternal life? Well, the answer still depends on their attitude. They are truly poor in the literal sense. However, if they spend their days dreaming about riches and covet all that they do not have, they are still attached deeply to the earthly things and are not using their poverty for the kingdom. Sadly, such a person is, in fact, just as materially attached as the one who has made riches the goal and focus of life. And that interior attachment will do great spiritual damage.
Whether poor or rich, we must come to the deep understanding of what Jesus means to deny oneself and follow him. In short, he calls to be like him in every aspect. To what place are we to follow Christ if not where he has already gone? One who claims to abide in Christ ought to walk as he walked. To walk to where and like how Jesus walked, two feet are needed; they are humility and charity. With these, we will win ourselves eternal life.
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus Christ, I want to follow you as your disciple. I gladly offer all that I have to you. Take and use my life as a pleasing sacrifice of praise to your glory. Amen
Be blessed.
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