CHOOSE JESUS, CHOOSE THE CROSS, CHOOSE ETERNAL LIFE - 02/23/23 (Thursday after Ash Wednesday)

Luke 9:23–24

And he said to all, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.”

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022323.cfm

Blessed Thursday! As we continue in our Lenten season, we are aware of the importance of making sacrifices and carrying our own crosses. This is something that Jesus constantly repeats in the Gospel like what we see in today's gospel reading. If we truly desire to be followers of Christ, we should deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow our Lord. This is seen in many ways such as by loving our neighbors who may cause us harm, being patient amidst the problems we experience, and many more. Another aspect of this that we should consider is that following the commandments and teachings of God is a form of taking up our cross. How is this so? Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Because He is the Way, we should believe that by following Him, we will have eternal life, and that we should not listen to the opinions or ideas that are contrary to the teachings of Christ. As such, He is called the Truth. The fullness of truth is found solely in Him, and if there are beliefs that are against His teachings, then these are "lies" which we should not hold onto. 

Being faithful to Christ is a way of carrying our cross because through this, we are denying ourselves. What are we denying of ourselves? We are denying our pride of thinking that we know better than Jesus and the Catholic Church, whom our Lord protects for us to have a guide in knowing what is right and wrong, what is pleasing to God and what is offensive. Sometimes, there are some people who think that it's ok to not follow the teachings of the Catholic Church because they have their own opinions, and no one should "dictate" what they should do with their lives. The truth is that the Catholic Church does not impose to us the truth about Christ because the Church respects our freedom. However, the Church reminds us that we should glorify God in our lives because this is what is right and this is what will bring true happiness in our hearts. This is why Jesus tells us, "For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.” Our Lord Jesus is speaking of those who center their lives on themselves and what they want instead of making God the center of our lives. It's a form of idolatry where the "self" becomes the "god" he or she worships. We only have one life, and as such, we should not waste this because Jesus wants us to be with us forever in heaven. When we intentionally reject the commandments of Christ, it means that we are rejecting His infinite love and mercy for us which causes people to endanger their salvation. Lenten season is the time for us to reflect on the importance of following the teachings of Jesus. Because of God's love, He chose the cross, and He chose us. Let's not be discouraged by the times we were unfaithful before because He is granting us new opportunities to renew our love for Him. If we have committed grave sins, may we place our trust in the mercy of God, especially in the sacrament of confession. Let's choose Jesus, let's choose the cross, and let's choose eternal life. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Optional Memorial of St. Polycarp:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/february-23-saint-polycarp-bishop-and-martyr/

Fasting and Abstinence during Lent:

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource/56337/fasting-and-abstinence-during-lent

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth