First reading 1 Peter 1:10-16
Put your trust in the grace that is coming to you
It was this salvation that the prophets were looking and searching so hard for; their prophecies were about the grace which was to come to you. The Spirit of Christ which was in them foretold the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would come after them, and they tried to find out at what time and in what circumstances all this was to be expected. It was revealed to them that the news they brought of all the things which have now been announced to you, by those who preached to you the Good News through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, was for you and not for themselves. Even the angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.
Free your minds, then, of encumbrances; control them, and put your trust in nothing but the grace that will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Do not behave in the way that you liked to before you learnt the truth; make a habit of obedience: be holy in all you do, since it is the Holy One who has called you, and scripture says: Be holy, for I am holy.
Responsorial Psalm 97(98):1-4
The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
Gospel Mark 10:28-31
Whoever has left everything for the sake of the gospel will be repaid
At that time Peter began to tell Jesus, ‘What about us? We have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.
‘Many who are first will be last, and the last first.’
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To follow Jesus even when it is not easy
Peter was curious about what they would get in return for leaving everything to follow Jesus. He wanted to know that all that they had sacrificed for Jesus was worth it. Jesus replied with total honesty by telling His disciples that those who left everything for His sake would “receive hundred times as much” in the form of the richness of belonging to a family of faith, the joy of being surrounded by others to journey through life with. As Jesus’ disciples, this is what we will experience when we follow Him.
However, we need to note that Jesus also added: “and persecutions”, which we naturally would want to avoid at all cost. Yet, persecutions come in the form of rejections and misunderstandings from others when we choose the more difficult path of going against the current and living the gospel values in the places where we are. Therefore, the path of discipleship is not easy. Although it is not easy, let us commit ourselves to follow Jesus, the one who is the source of fullness of life and love.
Question for reflection:
What does it mean to follow Jesus?
What does it mean to follow Jesus?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
