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Gospel Reading for June 28, 2026 – Matthew 10: 37-42
AUTHOR OF LIFE
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 a righteous man 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 the little one is a disciple— amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”
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Jesus does not tell us not to love our parents or our family. Rather, he teaches us that our love for him must come before everyone else—even those dearest to us. Only when God occupies the first place in our lives can we truly love others as he intends us to.
His words, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it,” present a profound paradox. Many people think that living life to the fullest means acquiring everything they want or pursuing whatever brings them pleasure, often without considering what these choices do to their character or how they may affect the lives of others. Jesus teaches us that true life is not found in self-centered pursuits but in self-giving love and faithful obedience to God.
Since God is the AUTHOR OF LIFE, he alone knows how life is meant to be lived and how it can be sustained in its fullness. Everything that Jesus teaches comes from the AUTHOR OF LIFE himself. Therefore, if we faithfully follow him, we will discover the fullness of life that God desires for us—a life that begins here on earth and reaches its fulfillment in eternal communion with him.
Lord Jesus, help us to remain faithful to your teachings, so that we may live life as you intended it to be lived and one day share in the eternal life you have prepared for us!
