Rev. Fr.
Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
WHY DO
YOU WANT TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND RUIN YOUR LIFE?
The
material things of this world are so captivating and attractive as well. And we
are so much engrossed with acquiring them at the detriment of things that edify
the soul. People are ready to do anything just to acquire material things of
this world. People are ready to kill, blackmail, kidnap and even sacrifice
parts of their bodies just to gain power, acquire properties and belong to a
particular class or level that they feel is influential in the society, thereby
causing more hostility, persecutions and evil in the society.
This
really makes me to wonder if we are actually learning anything from the lives
of those who have passed away from this world. Have we really taken time to
reflect on where all of us and the beautiful things of this world will be in
the nearest future. In fact, I think is time for us to really think twice about
our faith as Christians, whether we are actually ready to live out our faith in
the midst of these ugly situations in our societies, which are not stopping
soon, for it is getting tougher everyday.
Little
wonder Jesus after telling his disciples about his passion and the coming
persecution says in our Gospel passage today:
‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and
take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will
lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then,
will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a
man to offer in exchange for his life?”
Here
Jesus knowing what awaits us in this world, takes his discourse on discipleship
to a radical and difficult level, especially in a situation where our faith and
Christian values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism,
individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures, thereby neglecting the
things that lead us to God. Hence, if we are really willing to live out our
Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision
towards our call for discipleship in a personal and radical way.
These
hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our experience in
life. For here comes the moment when we have to make radical and difficult
choice as disciples of Jesus. It’s time for us to take up our cross in a
sacrificial way and follow the Lord. But what is this cross we are called to
take up. Taking up our cross could mean to faithfully face our daily challenges
with all its difficulties. It could mean accepting who we are and what we have
and using them to the glory of God.
The
way of the cross is a way of sacrifice, commitment, love, forgiveness, mercy
and compassion, which aims towards the good of the other person. It can be a
costly service to a loved one who is ill; it can be embracing illness, even
terminal illness or other personal weaknesses, but these make no sense except
when we relate it with the sufferings of Christ through faith in God.
We
must let our struggles of life lead us to God’s purpose for us. We must not let
the captivating and influential power of things of this passing world make us
loose focus of our heavenly kingdom. Let us not be like a foolish traveler who
after encountering and admiring a pleasant farm failed to continue on his
journey.
Thus,
St. Paul in our second reading tells us to present our bodies as a living
sacrifice that is truly pleasing to God. And never to conform ourselves to the
pattern of this present world. But let our behaviour be modelled by our new
mind in Christ, so as to discover the will of God and know what is good,
acceptable and perfect.
This
is possible when we surrender our lives to God just like the prophet Jeremiah
in our first reading, who surrendering to the will of God said: “You have
seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced; you have overpowered me:
you were stronger. For I am a daily laughing-stock. Each time I speak the word,
I cry out, I short and proclaim: ‘Violence and ruin!’ The word of the Lord has
meant for me insult, and derision, all day long. But the effort to restrain it
wearied me, I could not bear it”.
Dear
friends, why do you want to gain the whole world and ruin your life? Do you not
know that nothing belongs to you in this world? Do you not know that you are
only manager of whatever you have including your life? Why will you let your
excess desire for material things in this world ruin your soul? Today we are
meant to know that for us to share in the glory of Christ, we have to share his
suffering because it is impossible to follow Jesus without accepting the cross and
acknowledging and embracing all that life has to offer us.
The
truth is that God knows what we are going through in this world. He has
promised that he will stand by us during persecution and suffering. For a while,
we might suffer, but in the end, those who remained faithful to him will be
victorious while the oppressors will be rejected, crushed and destroyed.
Therefore,
we are called today to deny ourselves the pleasurable things of this passing
world in order to take up our Cross and follow the Lord. Yes, the material
things of this world are captivating and pleasurable, but it is complete
foolishness for us to gain the whole world and ruin our lives.
Hence,
it’s time to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully follow Jesus.
But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of following him? Why are we
finding it difficult to let go of our excess attachment to worldly things? What
are those habitual desires and possessions that are holding us from making this
radical decision today? It is time to come to God with all our hearts, for
tomorrow may be too late.
LET US
PRAY: Gracious God, it is indeed foolishness trying to gain the pleasurable
things of this passing world and ruin our lives, give us courage and grace to
let go of our excess worldly desires so as to embrace the Cross of Christ. And
as we do this, may the Cross of Christ be for us a shining example in our daily
struggles, to hold firm in our faith despite all the sufferings and
persecutions we may encounter. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do
have a lovely Sunday celebration.
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