Following Jesus, it is all or nothing

February 17, Friday, 6th Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of the Seven Founders of the Order of Servites, religious
Genesis 11: 1-9; Mark 8:34- 9:1

Today’s gospel reading is an invitation to discipleship, that is, to be an authentic follower of Jesus. He says, “If anyone wishes…” which means that the first requirement is to wish or want to follow Him. No one will force you. You must have the desire to follow Him and that desire must be strong enough with the help of the Holy Spirit.

The second requirement for discipleship is self-denial, or letting Jesus direct you and not running your own affairs. It also means forgoing some pleasurable activities in order to focus on serving God. Jesus is telling His disciples to forget their personal interests for the good of others. He Himself showed us the way. He denied Himself the glory of heaven to become human to save us.

Taking up your cross is the third requirement. In Jesus’ time, the cross was a symbol of death. When the Romans order someone to carry his cross, it meant marching to death. Like Jesus, a disciple must be ready to die for his faith. Accepting rejection from others or from the world is the essence of taking up your cross.

Denying yourself and taking up your cross is a daily or continuing activity. In addition to exerting effort and discipline, it may also involve losing friends and peace of mind. Comparing our daily challenges with that of others is pointless because they are personal to us. Though our crosses may at times seem too heavy to bear, Jesus is always a prayer away to help us.

You cannot follow Jesus while holding on to life itself. In other words, it is all or nothing. We give up our lives for Him and we gain eternal life.