Luke 9:22-25

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

Luke 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples:

“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected

by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,

and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all,

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself

and take up his cross daily and follow me.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

What profit is there for one to gain the whole world

yet lose or forfeit himself?”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I need to learn how to lose my life to save it. This is no easy task. The temptations are many, and I know my weaknesses. Grant me the anointing of your Holy Spirit and the power of your grace to resist the allure of evil this day.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Imitation of Christ: In today’s Gospel, Jesus first speaks about himself and what he will suffer in Jerusalem but then turns his attention to his disciples and how they must imitate his life. Imitation of Christ is good. We can ask ourselves, when confronted with different choices, “What would Jesus do?” From the Gospel, we know that Jesus would opt for mercy, forgiveness, love, justice, kindness, patience, joy, piety, communion, unity, poverty, meekness, and peace. All of these Christ-like virtues are worthy of imitation.

2. Sharing in Christ’s Life: Imitating Jesus’ life, however, is not enough. The Christian life is not about simply imitating or emulating the life of our teacher. Imitation of Christ needs to give way to identification with Christ and sharing in Christ’s life. In the beginning, Jesus invites men and women with the words, “Follow me.” At the Last Supper, however, he invokes the image of a branch united to the vine. We have become members of the Body of Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism. His blood is coursing through our veins through the Sacrament of the Eucharist. His Spirit is living within us through the Sacrament of Confirmation. We are sons and daughters of the Father, we are brothers and sisters of the Son, and we are temples of the Spirit. Our everyday lives need to correspond to the gift we have received in Christ.

3. The Blessing of Life and the Curse of Death: In the First Reading, Moses sets out the two ways of the covenant. Choosing to love the Lord is the path to blessing, but turning away from the Lord to serve idols leads to curses. Moses urges the people to choose life and enjoy the blessing of living in the Promised Land. The two ways are echoed in the Responsorial Psalm, which “sets forth the two ways of life – the way of the righteous, which follows God’s Law and leads to prosperity (Psalm 1:1-3), and the way of the wicked, which is dominated by sin and ends in divine judgment (1:4-6)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Old and New Testament, 833). The wicked, who follow the path of foolishness, are like dried-up vegetation (chaff) that the wind easily blows away. The righteous person, who follows the path of wisdom, is like a tree planted near running water that yields fruit, thrives, and prospers. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I will follow you as your disciple. As I contemplate your life, I see your humble service, your hidden prayer, and your innocent suffering. I promise to serve my brothers and sisters in need, to pray as you did to the Father, and to accept and offer the suffering that comes my way.

Living the Word of God: How am I called to lose my life? What is it that I am holding on to in my life that keeps me from a deeper relationship with God the Father? Do I have any attachments to sin that keep me from enjoying the fullness of the freedom of the children of God?