THE WORD
Na 2, 1-2; 3, 1-3.6-7 / Mt 16,24-28
Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What pro t would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.
IN OTHER WORDS
O entlich Wasserpredigen und heimlich Wein trinken” (Heinrich Heine -1844). I translate: “Publicly urge people to drink water while the preacher secretly drinks wine”. This is Heines’ way of criticizing self-consumed and dishonest church personnel who try to convince their poor churchgoers to simply come to terms with their poverty because everything is better in heaven anyway. That means in effect, no need to exert eff ort in order to better their condition.
That’s not Jesus’ way. On the contrary, he requires all those who wish to follow him absolute self-sacrifice and a hundred percent full eff ort. Christianity is not something for half-hearted and easy go lucky, lazy people. No. The Lord requires full dedication to work, full eff ort to help the poor and abused, readiness to forgive, to love one’s enemies, to serve others, to do good at all times. And that this has to be coupled with a life that is simple. The Lord will then repay each one according to his deeds. Good deeds and simple lifestyle 24/7. That’s what the Lord needs. That’s how authentic Christians, Jesus’ followers, look like
- Fr. Roberto “Jun” C.Alda, Jr., SVD | Missionshaus St. Wendel, Germany
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
