Anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matt 10)
Today we are called to total trust in Jesus. He asks us to lose selfishness, to find God’s will. Anyone who resists the attraction of self-promotion finds space for God. Those who lose out on getting their own way here and now find the gift of a spiritual life. Those who lose themselves in helping the poor find a meaning to life that endures. Those who speak out bravely about God’s commandment of love find goodness in unusual places. God the Creator of all is a loving Father who gives life and asks you to lose anything that stops you becoming a cheerful giver.
Faith helps us interpret modern science. We may have evolved from other forms of life but we do not have to survive at the expense of the weak. Those with faith in Jesus see God as the Creator who cares for his people. In times of need Jesus asks us to be mindful that God made the world and specially valued human beings. He is the beginning and the end. He watches over and guides.
In a remarkable way Jesus accepts responsibility for correcting all that has gone wrong when he conquers sin and death on Calvary. He sees God his Father in the midst of his troubles, in the midst of his joys. With faith in Jesus we can learn to be brave and noble in spirit when tragedy comes. We are able to rejoice and be happy when times are good. Through all kinds of experiences our faith helps us to survive and flourish even as the processes of creation remain mysterious and often unpredictable for us. Jesus wants us to be involved in restoring what is amiss in God’s work of creation today. During this crisis we can survive and we can make things better with the help of God.
Throughout the ages special prophets have emerged to speak convincingly about God’s action in their lives. Elisha believed that the all-powerful Creator is a source of supernatural life and of mercy. Even when times were hard he was confident that God will be there to help and to console. He prays to the watchful Creator for the woman who thought of others first and she finds God’s blessing.
St Paul thought of God as the Son of the Almighty Father made personally visible in Jesus. Throughout his ministry he became more and more convinced that the risen Jesus is interested in how we live. He asks us to be dedicated followers of the risen Lord who lost his life to make us free. Each day he turned to Jesus who had been raised from the dead and walked again among us. He pleads to you and me to walk confidently in the presence of the Lord and so find the way beyond death to eternal life.
The gospel is very challenging. You get to know God by losing everything to find Jesus; by allowing the Spirit of God to take over your life; by adjusting priorities so that you become free from any self-centredness.
You and I live in a society where successful people use their intelligence and social contacts and political powers to get the best deal for themselves and their own families. In a tough world they put themselves and their friends first and then argue about the best way to distribute what is left. Jesus says that’s not at all what God wants. The first challenge is to be converted to a new way of thinking; to appreciate the gift of life given to everyone by the Creator and lose selfish pretentions. God is concerned for you and your neighbour. Follow the example of Christ and welcome this Christian good news. Apparently insignificant little acts of charity have value far beyond any self-centred earthly achievement. It’s your call: lose selfishness, find salvation.