Losing and Finding

Giving up is part of life – you give up your time and money for your children and grandchildren. Parents say it was worth it for the joy in their faces. A person goes to work for the poor and gives up a better job. You want to do more study and know you have to leave some leisure aside that you like. In sport we sacrifice a lot to train and to do well. But something else comes through for us when we give up. If it’s real and true we get back a lot. It seems strange for Jesus to say – lose your life to save it. He’s talking about losing good things, to get better.

This can be a big challenge in a culture today that is very ‘me‘ conscious. We can find that personal concerns take total precedence, without enough care for others. But as long as one person on this globe is hungry or homeless or seeking refuge, the work of Jesus is never done.

Losing life and saving life with Jesus is a call to community, to neighbourhood and the world, to make our part of the world a better place.

My own life may be my main concern, my circle of care may extend just as far as myself, ignoring care in a sustained way for the stranger or the outcast, then I am called to the challenge of the gospel to lose selfishness, and find the generosity given in my heart by God.

Think ahead to today or this week.
Offer love and service to God.
Lord, teach me to be generous in your service

Gospel Reflection by Fr Donal Neary SJ (courtesy of Catholic Ireland)