Self Denial

Today’s Gospel Text:  "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."

23 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. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? Luke 9:22-25

Reflection: What do we accept about ourselves that we are at the same time called by Jesus to deny in ourselves?

A profound reflection about ourselves could send shivers down our spine in the light of what is demanded of us: “let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (vs. 23c)

We accept that we are called to survive and all the activities that help our survival become our right by virtue of our birth in this world.

This could include the right to food, water, job, wealth, education, acquiring means for survival, leisure, family, get married and have children, have friends, express ourselves in truth, etc. etc.

So we have these human rights and obligations which no one can deny us, especially those in authority need to dispense these rights to their subjects over whom they rule. 

In this there is no exception to the rule and no one has the right, even in the name of religion to deny anyone the legitimate human rights.

But in the light of the gospel exhortation, we are called to, on our own, to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow him. 

In the light of the above rights and needs, denying ourselves can be even termed in human terms a suicidal mission and that is exactly what the Gospel ultimately demands of the true and Dedicated Disciple through its commitment of service to the truth of the Gospel. 

It is ultimately not a mission to commit suicide but a mission to seek the higher and real life by denying ourselves daily the pleasures we think that help in survival but in reality destroy us and our humanity. 

As if denying ourselves is not a cross enough, Jesus further invites us to carry our cross daily and what is more even invites us to add to our burden by following him.  It is not a following as meant in mere walking behind but following as in every step of the master, unto the cross.

May the special grace of lent strengthen each one of us to diligently carry on with dedication and zeal to deny ourselves in the school of mortification and self-abandonment.

Prayer:  Help me Lord to deny myself the many pleasures of life and to seek you with all my strength, might, heart and mind.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Expose to the Light

Today’s Gospel Text: And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. 23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear." 24 And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. 25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away." Mark 4:21-25

Reflection: One of the freedoms we demand is the freedom of privacy and as per the laws of human right it is guaranteed in the constitutions of many nations, who have signed the United Nations charter on human rights.

The right to privacy usually guarantees to a certain defined extent when, where and how much of personal information could be disclosed by an individual.

It is a happy law for the many of us in the world who could go through a nightmare if the hidden things of our lives were to be made public.

Embarrassment, hurt, pain, betrayal, distress are some of the deepest feeling that we struggle with when exposed either rightly or wrongly, by the cautious or the overcautious.   

Despite all these freedoms of privacy laws, the Lord is cautioning us about the ultimate day, if not now when we will have to face the exposure of disclosure before the king and judge and then it will be public knowledge, whether we like it or not.

The exposure is sure and is inevitable; everything hidden in darkness has to be manifest by the light of Christ and what is secret will be manifest. (vs.22) 

But for us Christian we could avoid the great embarrassment by bringing things to the light of Christ through the Sacrament of reconciliation, which makes things practical and easy.

The light of Christ thus shining on the darkened area dispels everything that is not of his kingdom and clears our consciences to face him on that day without fear or anxiety.

Believe in what Christ claims about himself; as the light of the world, a light that dispels all darkness. Turn to his merciful love and forgiveness offered to us once and for all on the Cross.

Prayer: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting! Ps 139:23-24

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us