Matthew
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
Readings for Sunday: 2 Kings, Romans, Matthew
Reflection:
What does God want from us? Many people would answer that God wants us to attend Mass on Sunday, pray every day, and give to the poor. These things are certainly important, but they do not capture the full picture. What God ultimately wants is everything. He wants our whole lives because love requires nothing less.
Imagine a man telling a woman, “I love you so much. I want to be with you 99% of the time.” At first this sounds wonderful, but then she asks, “Why not 100%?” He replies, “The other 1% is for another woman.” No loving spouse would accept that arrangement. Love demands total commitment. To truly love someone means giving yourself completely.
The same principle applies to our relationship with God. We are called to love our neighbors, especially those closest to us. Christian love (the word in the New Testament is agape) means seeking the good of another and even sacrificing for them, as Christ did on the Cross. Yet there is a hierarchy to love. If a mother has only enough money to feed either her children or a stranger, she should feed her children first because she has the greatest responsibility toward them. Our love radiates outward like concentric circles, beginning with those closest to us.
Underneath these circles is God. Jesus teaches, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” This does not mean loving God competes with loving family. Rather, God is the foundation of all love. Just as a house cannot stand without its foundation, our love for others cannot endure unless it is rooted in God.
Christ calls us not merely to religious practices but to discipleship. After speaking about loving Him above all else, He says, “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” Faith is not a hobby or something reserved for Sunday. It is a way of life. Through Baptism we enter a covenant, a relationship with Christ, and are called to die to sin and live for Him.
So what does God want from us? The answer is simple but demanding: everything. As Christ gave 100% of Himself for us, He asks us to give 100% of ourselves to Him. Agape is total self gift. In losing our lives for His sake, we truly find them.
Reflection Questions
- In what areas of my life am I giving God less than my full commitment, and what would it look like to give Him “100%” instead of “99%”?
- How does placing God first in my life help me love my family, friends, and neighbors more authentically and selflessly?
- Jesus calls His disciples to “take up their cross and follow” Him. What sacrifices or changes might God be asking me to make in order to grow closer to Him and live more fully as His disciple?