Reflection on the Gospel of the Tuesday Of The Twenty-Second Week In Ordinary Time |
Matthew 16:24-27 |
…whoever would save his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it…
This is the reality of God’s Kingdom. Only in the giving that you truly receive. This is coded in our lives and the very basis for marriage where you are called to self-give your self to your partner, as a gift, completely without restraint. And marriage in its turn is the blue-print for our Salvation – through our (the Churches) marriage to the Lamb.
Matthews Gospel is often mentioned as the Gospel of the Upside-Down Kingdom of God. In it we have many worldly opposite statements, like to be first you need to be last, to be a leader, one needs to serve, etc… That means there is a purpose and a deliberateness on the part of Matthew to make such statements, and if this is fact, there is an important truth behind all this. Reflect and pray, Ephesians calls us God’s Children, called to be Him in the world. If this is true, than we are being challenged to live our lives as Christians, in this world, as God’s children. meaning we need not fear if our pockets are full or empty, we have of we do not, the truth will always remain that we will be provided for, perfectly at the correct time. Even if we are called to laydown our life, we will experience resurrection and the blessedness of communion and relationship with God here and now. A king’s children never fear, if they have or do not, they do not hold on to riches or anything else, because they know their father the king, will always replace. Remember here the other Gospel Text of Matthew (Matt 5:39f),
if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;
and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well;
and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.
Its the same understanding, belike your Father in Heaven, do not hold yourself back, trusting your Father to provide and replenish.
Pray then to the Holy Spirit; come Holy Spirit, fill us with a deeper understanding and conviction of what it means to have life and in all its abundance, what it means to give, and be ready to die also for Jesus our bridegroom.
