Gospel Reading for 15 February 2024 – Luke 9: 22-25
LOVE HIMSELF
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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This season of Lent, we are asked to make sacrifices. In other words, to deny ourselves and take up our cross. If we TRULY LOVE God, it should not be very difficult to deny ourselves, because when we TRULY LOVE, we willingly give up something for the loved one.
As Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “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.” Perhaps, if we were in Jesus’ place, we would ask the Father if we could do away with the suffering, rejection and being killed, or ask if there is a much easier way to save humankind. But God, being LOVE HIMSELF, sent his only begotten Son to suffer and to die in order to save us and bring us to eternal life.
Truly, LOVE can be measured by the sacrifices one is willing to make for the loved one.
Let us ponder on this song written by Trina Belamide which was used for World Youth Day 1995, TELL THE WORLD OF HIS LOVE –
For God so loved the world,
He gave us His only Son
Jesus Christ our Savior,
His most precious one.
He has sent us His message of love
and sends those who hear
to bring the message to everyone
in a voice loud and clear.
Let us tell the world of His love:
The greatest love the world has known.
Search the world for those who have walked
astray and lead them home.
Fill the world’s darkest corners
with His light from up above.
Walk every step, every mile, every road
and tell the world, tell the world of His love!
