Posts Tagged ‘take up your cross’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: August 9, 2024 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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It is our Lord who seeks to restore what was lost through sin and disobedience. It is He alone who gives life!

How many times have we ruined our lives by choosing worldly pleasures and sinful desires. Robbing us of peace of mind, and sabotaging our relationship with the Lord our God. Still He is patient with us, merciful and kind. He liberates us and restores us fully to live in His love when we turn back to Him.

Let us choose to always take up our cross and follow after Him. For it is only by doing so, do we truly live! Amen


Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross pray for us…


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First reading
Nahum 2:1,3,3:1-3,6-7


Israel restored; Nineveh ruined


See, over the mountains the messenger hurries!
‘Peace!’ he proclaims.
Judah, celebrate your feasts,
carry out your vows,
for Belial will never pass through you again;
he is utterly annihilated.
Yes, the Lord is restoring the vineyard of Jacob
and the vineyard of Israel.
For the plunderers had plundered them, they had broken off their branches.

Woe to the city soaked in blood,
full of lies,
stuffed with booty,
whose plunderings know no end!
The crack of the whip!
The rumble of wheels!
Galloping horse,
jolting chariot,
charging cavalry,
flash of swords,
gleam of spears…
a mass of wounded,
hosts of dead,
countless corpses;
they stumble over the dead.
I am going to pelt you with filth,
shame you, make you a public show.
And all who look on you will turn their backs on you and say,
‘Nineveh is a ruin.’
Could anyone pity her?
Where can I find anyone to comfort her?


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Gospel
Matthew 16:24-28


Anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?
    ‘For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour. I tell you solemnly, there are some of these standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming with his kingdom.’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: February 18, 2021 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Love, 2010, by Larry Cole © Larry Cole Art

“Renounce yourself, take up your cross and follow me.” This Lord is Your invitation Lord for me to love and be loved in and through You. For You O Lord are LOVE!

Why have I been so reluctant in the past to take up Your offer? Was it fear of losing my autonomy? Was it fear that I was expected to experience some form of horrible death as You did upon the cross? Was is fear of losing my little enjoyments and pleasures? Fear of this and of that! Was it simply FEAR that prevented me from entering into a deeper relationship with You?

You O Lord had spoken lovingly and ever so often in Your Word telling me each time “Do not fear…”

‘Do not fear for I am with You, do not fear only believe, do not fear little flock.’ And so the truth Lord is that I did not trust You enough to surrender to Your endearing love for me.

I was a fool for going my own way Lord, for there is nothing more fulfilling then falling deeply into Your loving embrace when I renounce myself, take up my cross and follow You. I know now that as I live in the world,  this is not a one time thing but a daily decision.

I have decided this day and every day to trust and follow You, my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

First reading

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 ·

I set before you today life or death, blessing or curse

Moses said to the people: ‘See, today I set before you life and prosperity, death and disaster. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I enjoin on you today, if you love the Lord your God and follow his ways, if you keep his commandments, his laws, his customs, you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to make your own. But if your heart strays, if you refuse to listen, if you let yourself be drawn into worshipping other gods and serving them, I tell you today, you will most certainly perish; you will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today: I set before you life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live, in the love of the Lord your God, obeying his voice, clinging to him; for in this your life consists, and on this depends your long stay in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob he would give them.’

Gospel

Luke 9:22-25

Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it

Jesus said to his disciples:

    ‘The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.’

    Then to all he said:

    ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it. What gain, then, is it for a man to have won the whole world and to have lost or ruined his very self?’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: August 7, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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How have I taken up my Cross to follow Jesus? What have I given up for His namesake? How am I living His Kingdom values? How am I living out my call to discipleship? How many people have I shown love and mercy to today? This week? This month? Without taking the time to dwell on this questions we will remain when we are, not drawing any closer to Him who loves us dearly.

I choose to follow You Jesus….Lead me. Amen

First reading

Nahum 2:1,3,3:1-3,6-7Israel restored; Nineveh ruinedSee, over the mountains the messenger hurries!‘Peace!’ he proclaims. Judah, celebrate your feasts, carry out your vows, for Belial will never pass through you again; he is utterly annihilated.Yes, the Lord is restoring the vineyard of Jacob and the vineyard of Israel.For the plunderers had plundered them, they had broken off their branches.Woe to the city soaked in blood, full of lies,stuffed with booty, whose plunderings know no end!The crack of the whip! The rumble of wheels! Galloping horse, jolting chariot, charging cavalry, flash of swords, gleam of spears… a mass of wounded, hosts of dead, countless corpses; they stumble over the dead.I am going to pelt, you with filth, shame you, make you a public show.And all who look on you will turn their backs on you and say, ‘Nineveh is a ruin.’ Could anyone pity her? Where can I find anyone to comfort her?

Gospel

Matthew 16:24-28Anyone who loses his life for my sake will find itJesus said to his disciples: ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life? ‘For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour. I tell you solemnly, there are some of these standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming with his kingdom.’