In today’s gospel, Jesus speaks plainly to his disciples. Pain, suffering, and rejection await, but also, the promise of salvation. He invites his disciples to let go of worldly temptations: pleasure, admiration, money, power and control. Our lives can be lost in the vanities of the world and suddenly come to an end when we breathe our last.
But Christ invites us to a life that transcends our earthly life. One that may include suffering and sacrifice, but one that brings life! We do not live only for ourselves, we do not live only during our time on earth. We live for Christ, with Christ and by extension for others and with others.
The choice is ours: to live according to the world or according to Christ. May we choose life for all eternity.