Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-57) - Choose Life

Dearest Goddaughter,

I just listened to Fr. Michael O'Conner's homily and he said something that struck me. In reflecting on what Jesus said to his disciples - If anyone wishes to come after me, he must DENY HIMSELF and TAKE UP HIS CROSS daily and FOLLOW ME." - Fr. Michael said that Christ himself carried the Cross to Calvary; however, it did not end there because he conquered death and rose.

Our Lord invites us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses DAILY, and follow him. In other words, Christ is inviting us to share in his suffering so that we too can rise with him in the glory of his Resurrection. It is certainly a challenge for us, perhaps daunting even. But what choice do we have except to "choose life", as the Lord tells us in today's first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy. How can we "choose life"? Just listen to what the Lord says:

"If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,

which I enjoin on you today,

loving him, and walking in his ways,

and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees,

you will live and grow numerous,

and the LORD, your God,

will bless you. . ."

God sets before us "life and prosperity" or "death and doom", "life" or "death", and "blessing" or "curse". The decision is ours but the choices are obvious. Let us not turn our hearts away from God and perish but turn our hearts to God and live.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Dt 30:15-20 and Lk 9:22-25 (below).

. . .

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?”