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Gospel Reading for February 19, 2026 – Luke 9: 22-25
THEY WILL PASS
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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If we place ourselves in the shoes of Jesus, it must have been deeply painful to speak about his coming suffering and death—even with the promise that he would rise again on the third day. Though the Resurrection would be his victory over sin and the power of evil, the path toward that victory still led through anguish and the Cross. Indeed, as the saying goes, “No pain, no glory.”
Pain and suffering are part and parcel of life on this earth. Strangely, the more we strive to live fully, to love generously, and to give our very best, the more vulnerable we become to sacrifice and suffering. Yet life is not defined by pain alone. The crosses we carry are temporary; THEY WILL PASS.
In contrast, the joy, peace, and eternal life that flow from taking up our cross and following Jesus are incomparable to any suffering we endure here. What awaits us far outweighs what we go through.
Lord Jesus, grant us the courage to take up our crosses each day, trusting that you will always walk with us and help us carry them!
