15 February, 2024 | Thursday after Ash Wednesday

 Reading 1: Dt 30:15-20

Gospel Lk 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples:

“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected

by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,

and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all,

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself

and take up his cross daily and follow me.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

What profit is there for one to gain the whole world

yet lose or forfeit himself?”

Reflection:

Jesus goes on to say that anyone who wants to be one of his followers must be ready to renounce themselves, and be prepared to walk the same path, carrying their cross after Him. Lent is traditionally a time when we renounce ourselves. We ask ourselves what it is we need to let go of, to give up to follow the Lord more closely. We all have something we need to let go of; it might be some excessive attachment that is holding us back, or some habit that is not serving us well. Self-renunciation is more difficult today than in the past because we live in a culture which encourages us to indulge ourselves. The giving up, or the letting go, is always means choosing more fully the life that the Lord is always holding out to us. Let us ask ourselves, ‘What does it mean for me to choose life today?’ ‘What do I need to renounce to follow the Lord more closely?’  

Activity:

Give  up one of the things which you  like to do for entertainment  and offer the sacrifice for peace in the world.