Luke 9:22–25 LOSING TO FIND LIFE

Year A, Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Only one day after receiving ashes, the Church places before us a challenging message from Jesus: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” These words may sound heavy, especially at the beginning of Lent. Yet Jesus is not speaking about punishment or suffering for its own sake. He is speaking about the path to true life.

Every day we carry crosses — not only big hardships, but also the ordinary struggles of life: misunderstandings in relationships, stress at work, worries about health or family, disappointments, or personal weaknesses we continue to battle. Often, our first instinct is to avoid these struggles or escape them. But Jesus invites us to face life differently.

To “deny oneself” does not mean rejecting who we are. It means letting go of the false idea that we must control everything or place ourselves at the center of life. Many of our frustrations come from holding too tightly to our plans, our expectations, or our desire to always be right.

Jesus teaches a paradox: “Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” When we live only for comfort, success, or approval, we often feel empty. But when we give ourselves in love — through patience, forgiveness, sacrifice, and service — we discover a deeper peace.

Lent is precisely this journey of learning what to let go of so that God can give us something greater. The small sacrifices we make — extra prayer, acts of kindness, letting go of resentment, choosing patience instead of anger — are ways of carrying our cross daily.

The cross is not the end of the story. It is the path that leads to resurrection. Jesus walks this road with us; He never asks us to carry anything alone.

Question to Ponder: What is one cross in my daily life that Jesus is inviting me to carry with trust rather than resistance?

With Love and Prayers

Your Co-Traveler

Fr. Leo Payyappilly