Daily Reflections ...

Today, the Gospel invites us to reflect on our willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. We also pay homage to the men and women who have given their lives in the service of others this ANZAC Day. We will remember them.

Though not all of us are called to serve in such duty, Jesus still calls us to action that implies death, not a literal death on a cross or on the battlefield, but death to oneself that can be hard to accept. Most people are attracted to Jesus on different levels; some are drawn to his healing ministry. Others love his words that challenge the status quo. They would like to live His life but would not want to die His death. But today, there is a sense in which Jesus is inviting us to precisely that.

He says anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:25) If we are to follow Jesus, it must be more than lip service; we must follow him through our actions and through dying to ourselves, giving up the life we want to live to live the life He wants us to live. The result of life to the full will depend on how much we are willing to sacrifice. When we die to our pride, we rise in humility; when we die to our stubbornness, we allow our hearts to be transformed; when we die to our selfishness, we create room for others. When we lay down our lives, we discover a life that we might not have thought possible for ourselves and for others.

by Cosme Cham