The talk about suffering and self-denial does not usually get a big audience. People naturally want to indulge in fun and to run away from suffering. Jesus is a very honest teacher who chooses to say what his disciples need to hear. He predicts to them his impending passion, death, and resurrection. This prediction would not immediately sink into his disciples so he has to tell this thrice! Today’s Gospel is the second time Jesus makes his prediction. The crucial difference is that Luke adds the word “daily.” The disciples are told to face their day-to-day challenges, and not think of salvation as something that happens only in some future time, on the final day. For Luke, salvation comes “today” as the Kingdom of heaven breaks in with Jesus’ coming. So also, salvation happens “daily” as we bear the crosses of day-to-day life in our following of Jesus.
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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?”
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2021,” 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.
