GOSPEL: MT 10:37-42
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JESUS said to his apostles: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple – amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”
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We are Christ’s disciples. And because we are his disciples, nothing should replace his primacy in our life. Jesus must be at the center of all our relationships. Not even the most treasured human relationships can supersede him.
Christ alone makes us complete. Nothing can satiate our deepest yearning except when we welcome Christ into our life. External rewards, which seem to give us satisfaction without depth, do not suffice. Jesus gives us strength to face life’s difficulties and provides us with a sense of fulfillment.
In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us of the conditions of discipleship. If we are to become worthy of the call we receive, as Christ’s disciples, we must love him more than we love anyone else. Why? Because all our other relationships are bound to fail unless they are anchored on Jesus.
Our relationship with Jesus invites us to be more selfless. When we give of ourselves to others, mere rewards are no longer of any concern to us. This is because every self-giving act is already a priceless reward in itself. Jesus says that anyone who gives a cup of cold water to a disciple will not lose his reward (cf v 42).
No single act of kindness done to disciples will go to waste. And this is because Jesus’ disciples are the first to give of themselves, sharing in Jesus’ self-giving character.
Jesus places the condition of his followers in parallel with that of a prophet and a righteous man (cf vv 40-42). The prophets and righteous people are known to be self-giving. Those who welcome self-giving people will become self-giving themselves.
Having a selfless attitude is a priceless reward for the one who truly follows Jesus. Hence, being selfless disciples also means taking up our crosses through the example set by Jesus. Christ makes the cross redemptive. Crucifixion is a capital punishment utilized by the Romans for criminals who are not Roman citizens.
The cross is an instrument of punishment, but it becomes the very reward of the disciples offering themselves for the salvation of others. The Greek word used is misthón, which refers either to reward or to punishment. When Christ is the center of our life, even what appears to be punishment becomes redemptive.
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2020,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
