The Cost of Discipleship

February 28, 2022 Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement, his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.  Mark 10:21-22 There are two important things to point out in this Scripture passage.  The first is Jesus’ reaction and the second is the rich young man’s reaction. Jesus, it says, looked at him and “loved him.”  It’s important to be aware of this line as a precursor to what Jesus calls this young man to do.  He calls him to give up everything he has, give it all away, and come follow Jesus.  And Jesus invited him to do this out of love.   Jesus is inviting this young man to gain much more than he currently possesses.  That’s why Jesus looked at him with love before He invited the young man to follow Him in a total and radical way.  But, in this case, loving Jesus was going to hurt.  It was going to hurt in the sense that his following of Jesus required a total sacrifice of everything.  It was total and radical.  It was hard, at least from a purely human and worldly standpoint.  But Jesus’ love for this young man was so perfect that He was willing to invite him to endure the sacrifice of everything so that the rich man could gain so much more. We are invited to do the same.  No, we may not be called to follow Jesus in the unique and radical way of giving up all our physical possessions.  But we are called to follow Jesus to the same degree of trust and abandonment to His divine will.  And that will inevitably require sacrifice.  Sacrifice to the greatest degree.   Our reaction to Jesus’ call to discipleship is key.  How will we respond to this invitation to give completely of ourselves?  The rich young man reacted at first with sorrow.  He did not accept the invitation Jesus offered.  We do not know if he eventually did follow Jesus in this radical and total way, but we do know his first reaction.   Often times this is our first reaction also.  We want to be faithful and we want to follow Christ no matter what He asks.  But when given a concrete invitation to answer His call, we turn away in sadness thinking that the invitation is too demanding. Reflect, today, upon this rich young man.  Look at your own life and ponder the question of how ready and willing you are to say “Yes” in a total way to whatever Jesus asks of you.  Saying “Yes” in a sacrificial way is the best decision you can make.  It is, in reality, a willing acceptance of the most glorious life you can live. My demanding Lord, following You at times can seem hard and radical.  It can seem as though it’s too much.  Help me, especially in those moments, to trust You more than the many attachments I have in this world.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Bearing Good Fruit

February 27, 2022 Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Readings for Today

Video “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.”  Luke 6:43 Conversely, it should be said that a good tree does bear good fruit.  This must be our goal.  By saying that “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,” Jesus is teaching us the supernatural effect of living a holy life.  When we live a life grounded in Christ, the effect will be that good fruit is born from our lives.  This is an important spiritual principle to understand. Hopefully, we all want to live good lives.  We all want to make a difference in our world and in the lives of others for the good.  But the fundamental question to ask is how do we do this?  The answer is that it’s not so much a matter of choosing the good actions we do; rather, on a more basic and fundamental level, we must choose to live a life grounded in Christ, thus becoming a “good tree.” If you want to bear good fruit and make a holy and positive difference in the world, then you need to do one primary thing.  Work at becoming holy.  To use the image that Jesus gives, see yourself as a tree that is planted in the ground.  See your roots stretching far and wide.  See yourself being nourished and basked in the Sun.  And see yourself growing and flourishing.  This is the life of grace and the effect is that good fruit automatically comes forth.  The life of grace is accomplished by focusing upon your own health and spiritual well-being.  You become this “good tree” by doing the basics well.  First, pray, pray well and pray hard.  Let your life be centered in prayer.  Second, learn your faith.  Listen to the Gospels, learn all that God has revealed through the Church, read the teachings of the saints, and learn from other holy people.  Third, live a good sacramental life.  Go to Mass, celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, understand the grace of your Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Ordination, etc.  Know that the Sacraments nourish you in powerful ways and embrace that nourishment with your whole heart. Reflect, today, upon the important mission you have been given to go forth and to bear an abundance of good fruit in our world.  This mission can be accomplished only as a result of a life of holiness.  This holiness is only accomplished when your roots are firmly grounded in the life of grace.  Embrace this life of grace through the many means that God has set before you, and know that the commitment you make to holiness will bring health not only to your own soul, but also to the souls of those whom God will touch through you. Lord, I love You and I give my life to You.  I pray that I may be planted in the fertile soil of Your abundant love and mercy.  Help me to be nourished by the life of grace You have lavished upon me and, as I grow in holiness, bring forth an abundance of good fruit in my life.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The Need for Healthy Human Affection

February 26, 2022 Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”  Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them. Mark 10:14-16 Jesus used the example of children to explain the way that we must accept the Kingdom of God.  We must accept it as a child would.  Not with skepticism or doubt, but with openness, joy and simplicity.  But this passage above also reveals another subtle truth.  It reveals the natural and healthy affection we must have for others. The world we live in today tends more and more toward debauchery and misguided human desire.  Lusts tend to dominate our culture in such a way that it almost seems normal to see another as an object of desire.  This is most clearly seen in advertisements and in Hollywood.  Sexual sins are rampant and affect many people to such a degree that they are bound by them, not being able to break free. One sad result of this is that there appears to be a loss of healthy human affection.  In an overly sexualized culture we can easily begin to see everything through that lens whether we realize it or not.  As a result, an understanding of healthy human affection is lost. In this Gospel passage, Jesus says, “Let the children come to me.”  It goes on, “Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them.”  These passages reveal to us the holy, natural and healthy affection that Jesus had for these children and for all of us.  However, it was not only children who came to Him.  It was also the woman caught in adultery who clung to His feet and it was John the Apostle who reclined against Him at the Last Supper. Human affection must be purified and redeemed in such a way that it is offered to others without selfish motives and, most certainly, without disordered sexual desires.  When this can be done, just as Jesus did it, the embrace of a parent to a child, a friend with another, a spouse to the other spouse, etc., becomes a holy and natural expression of the love in the heart of Christ. Reflect, today, upon the goodness of healthy human affection.  But reflect, also, upon the fact that our culture is saturated with much impurity causing confusion about this natural exchange of love.  Pray for the continued gift of holy purity of heart so that our Lord will invite many to Himself through your heart and affections. Most pure Lord, help me to be pure of heart.  Help me to allow You to purify all my affections so that You will shine through.  Free me of the selfish temptations of the culture we live in and give me instead a selfless expression of Your love.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Seeking the Truth

February 25, 2022 Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”  They were testing him.  Mark 10:2 The Pharisees were constantly trying to trap Jesus.  Though this is a sad fact, it does teach us a lesson about seeking the truth. One of the most basic goals we must strive for in life is to seek the truth.  We must seek to know the truth, and then allow that truth to set us free.  On one level, the Pharisees were seeking the truth.  They asked Jesus a question about the Law of Moses and His interpretation of that law.  Though it is good to ask such a question and to seek an answer from Jesus, there is a subtle distinction that we must make. The distinction has to do with the motive of the asker.  In this case, the Pharisees were asking Jesus a question not because they were seeking the truth; rather, they were asking it with the intention of trickery and manipulation.  They were looking for anything they could to try to trap Jesus so as to condemn Him.  The much better way to ask Jesus a question is to come to Him for two reasons.  First, we must come to Him asking questions because we humbly believe that He is the source of all Truth.  This takes humility because it requires that we acknowledge that Jesus knows better.  He has the answer, a better answer than we have. Secondly, when we ask Jesus a question, we should examine our motivation.  Hopefully, our motivation consists in the single fact that we want to know.  We have come to believe that He is the source of truth and, therefore, we turn to Him so that we will understand.  So, not only do we humbly believe He has the answers, we also sincerely want to know them.  This form of an inquisitive and open heart disposes us to receive all that He says to us, as if we were dry land ready to soak up a gentle rain. Reflect, today, upon whether you regularly put all your questions in life before our Lord.  If you do, examine your motivation.  Strive to have a humble heart that desires to receive the pure truth from the source who is Truth Himself. My truthful Lord, I turn to You as the source of all Truth.  Teach me Your ways and fill me with Your wisdom.  Help me to understand life as You see it and, in that understanding, help me to embrace Your holy will.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Salted With Fire

February 24, 2022 Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video “Everyone will be salted with fire.  Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor?  Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”   Mark 9:49-50 Are you ready to be “salted with fire?”  Jesus makes it clear that everyone will go through this “salting.”  So what does this actually mean? Adding salt to food brings forth the flavor.  It doesn’t so much change the food into something else; rather, it enhances what is there, adding more to the taste.  Salt also has the effect of purifying.  It’s used as a preservative and helps to rid food of bacteria.  Both of these images of flavoring and preserving are worth looking at. Being “salted with fire” means that we are purified by God.  Fire purifies and refines.  Heat is used to sanitize utensils, fire is used to purify gold, and it is also used to mold precious metals into images or jewelry.  So it is with us.  We must be purified by the fire of God in every way.  Sin must be purged and we must become malleable by the fire of God so that we can be molded into His divine image. But how does this happen?  One way is when we are purged of all fleshly desires and appetites that are selfish and opposed to the will of God.  This can be painful and, hence, the image of fire.  Another way is when we are purified on the deeper level of the spirit.  This may happen when we are given some heavy cross to carry and we do so with patience and acceptance.  When our will is challenged and tested, we have an opportunity to turn our own will over to God and to choose His will.  But His will often times includes a full embrace of any suffering we endure.  In that case, suffering can have the effect of purifying us on the deepest level of our will and, thus, suffering becomes redemptive for us. Reflect, today, upon the purifying action of God in your life.  Reflect, especially, upon any ways that you feel the pain of some suffering that you do not want to embrace.  Know that a full embrace of this suffering may actually produce the purification God wants in your life so as to make you truly holy and pure. My purifying Lord, I pray that You purify my soul of all sin.  Help me, first, to be freed of all fleshly attachments that interfere with my love of You.  Help me, also, to be free of my own will.  May the sufferings and cross in my life become a true grace through which You free me and help me to grow strong in patience and all virtue.  I give myself to You, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Rejoicing in the Good Works of Others

February 23, 2022 Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr—Memorial

Video John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him.  There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.”  Mark 9:38-39 This passage offers us a lesson in jealousy or what we may call “exclusivism.”  John and the other Apostles witness someone with whom they were not familiar, doing the very good deed of driving out a demon in Jesus’ name.  It’s a somewhat strange image to imagine.  John sees this good act and tries to interfere by asking the person to stop.  Then he goes and tells on this man to Jesus, hoping Jesus will intervene.  But Jesus does the opposite.    In some ways, this story is similar to a child who tattles on a sibling.  Say that one sibling does something that is permitted by the parent, but another sibling is jealous of it.  The result is that the jealous sibling tattles for a silly reason. “Exclusivism” can be defined as a tendency to think that something is good only when I do it.  It’s a form of spiritual greed in which we have a hard time rejoicing in and supporting the good deeds of another.  This is a dangerous but all too common struggle for many. The ideal, in our Christian life, is to look for the works of God everywhere and within everyone.  We should so deeply desire that the Kingdom of God be built up that we are overjoyed whenever we witness such activity.  If, on the other hand, we find ourselves jealous of another for the good that they do, or if we find ourselves trying to find fault with what they are doing, then we should be aware of this tendency and claim it as our sin, not theirs. Reflect, today, upon your own reaction toward the goodness of others.  Are you able to rejoice in that goodness?  Or does it leave you with a certain jealousy or envy?  If the latter, then commit yourself to the goal of being freed from these temptations.  Our divine Lord desires that you participate in His good works.  You should seek to have that same desire. My freeing Lord, when I am jealous of others, especially when I am jealous of their good works, help me to see this as my sin.  Help me instead to look for the many wonderful ways that You are at work in our world, and help me to rejoice in all that You do through others.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The Infallible Gift from Jesus

Tuesday, February 22, 2022 Feast of the Chair of St. Peter Readings for Today

Video “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.  Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  Matthew 16:18-19 This passage should give us great comfort.  Why?  Because in this passage Jesus lays the foundation of His Church.  He gives to Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.  And, in so doing, He establishes what has come to be known as the gift of “infallibility.” Think about it.  What does it mean to be given “the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven?”  This is quite a statement.  But by speaking it clearly and definitively, Jesus entrusted an incredible spiritual power to Peter.  Peter may not have understood what this exactly meant at the time, but he would have been changed as he was entrusted with such authority. By “infallibility” we mean that Peter was guaranteed to teach only that which was true in the areas of faith and morality.  Faith and morality are what live on forever in the Kingdom of Heaven and so it is with authority in these areas that Peter is entrusted. Furthermore, we know that the Apostles had successors.  Peter went to Rome and became the Bishop of Rome.  He was succeeded by Linus, then Cletus, then Clement, and so forth until the Bishop of Rome today.  This is important to note because this spiritual authority that Jesus gave to Peter did not end with his death.  Rather, it continued with his successors and will continue on until the end of the world. Today, in celebrating the great Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, we not only honor the Pope, we also rejoice in the spiritual authority that the Holy Father has been entrusted with.  And knowing that Jesus is alive in such a way, through the certain teaching authority of the Keys of Heaven, we should be comforted and at peace knowing that the gates of hell will never prevail against the Church.  Popes are sinners, but they are also visible and infallible instruments of Christ Himself every time they exercise their sacred role. Reflect, today, upon your faith in the Church.  We do not put our faith in persons, we put our faith in Christ, His Church and in the spiritual authority entrusted to the Church.  Reflect upon your own faith in this regard and if it is lacking in any way, renew it in honor of this great Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. Lord Jesus, You entrusted Your power and authority to St. Peter and to all of his successors.  I thank You for the gift of our Pope.  I pray for him and offer him to You for Your guidance and protection.  I renew my faith in the gift of the Holy Father and in Your promise to lead us always through him.  May my faith in Your Church bring me consolation and hope as we all move forward to the goal of our salvation, the glorious Kingdom of Heaven.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Help My Unbelief!

February 21, 2022 Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church—Optional Memorial

Video “But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”  Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”  Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”  Mark 9:22-24 This Scripture passage comes in the middle of a somewhat intense scene in which people were arguing about Jesus with the scribes.  When Jesus inquired about the argument, a man came forward and asked Jesus to heal his son who had been possessed by a demon since birth.  The man also adds to his request, “If you can!”  Jesus appears to react with a rebuke for his lack of faith.  He says, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” It’s important to note that the father came to Jesus in a somewhat desperate state of mind.  It is good that he came to Jesus, but ideally he would come to Jesus regardless of his desperation.  This teaches us a lesson regarding how we often come to our Lord. Very often, when life is good, we allow our faith and trust in God to slip.  It’s easy, when things are good, to forget that God is God and that we must daily love Him and surrender all to Him, trusting Him even with the good things of life.  Conversely, when a sudden hardship comes our way, we suddenly turn to God in our need.  We come to Him as we would a doctor when we become sick.  We avoid going to the doctor when we are healthy, waiting until we are in dire need. Even though it is a good thing to turn to Jesus in our need, when things are suddenly out of control, it is far better to come to Him when life is good and when we do not have any immediate hardship.  The fact that this man came to Jesus out of pure desperation, and the fact that he wasn’t even convinced that Jesus could do anything to help, reveals a lack of faith on his part.  So it is with us.  When we wait until we are in the midst of some crisis to come to our Lord, hoping but unsure of His ability to intervene, we are manifesting a certain lack of faith. But the good news is that Jesus worked with the little faith this man had and He will do the same with us.  He cured his son and He will cure us when we come to Him with even a little faith.  But the ideal is to then make sure that the little faith we have manifested grows.  It must grow so that we then come to Jesus every day, even when there is no obvious crisis or imminent need.  Coming to Him, out of love, is a true sign of a deep and authentic faith. Reflect, today, upon the motivation you have in coming to Jesus.  Yes, come to Him when things are not well, but reflect upon the essential truth of faith that you must make it your daily habit to come to Him in all things as a result of the deep and unwavering faith you have and the love you have for Him.  This form of faith will bring joy to the heart of our Lord and will transform you so that a good life will be even better. All-powerful Lord, may I come to You in all things.  May I love and serve You when life is good, and may I trust You with an unwavering trust when life is challenging.  Increase my faith and help me to manifest that faith every day of my life.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Forgiving All the Way

February 20, 2022 Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Readings for Today

Video “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.”  Luke 6:37 Do you judge others?  Judging another is an easy thing to do.  Sometimes we can meet a person and immediately arrive at some form of judgment.  Perhaps they are not as friendly as we think they should be at first and, as a result, we offer a judgment of them right away.  Of course this can happen at times, even before we meet the person.  Or, it can also happen in relationships that we’ve had for a long time. Do you condemn others?  Condemnation comes in two forms.  First, either we have formed a false judgment of another and this results in a false condemnation.  Second, we can judge a situation correctly, that this person is guilty of some sin, and we act as though we have a right to condemn.  We act as if we have a right to issue a sentence upon them. Both judging and condemning are far from Christian virtues.  They are not healthy or holy in any way. So, the way they are overcome is through mercy and forgiveness. Do you forgive?  Forgiveness is hard to do most of the time.  It must be offered in the light of our tendencies to both judge and condemn another.  First of all, forgiveness cures the tendency to condemn because it acknowledges a fault and forgives it anyway without requiring the imposition of a “punishment,” so to speak, upon the offender.  Forgiveness does not mean that the offense was OK or nonexistent.  On the contrary, forgiveness in this case clearly sees a sin for what it is.  But once acknowledged, it forgives that sin. This is very important when it comes to forgiving in a close relationship.  It’s never healthy to pretend that some hurt or sin never happened, but it’s always healthy to forgive the sin that is present.  When it comes to judgment, forgiveness goes even further than forgiving a sin.  Forgiveness must also move us to a point where we do not even form a judgment as to another’s fault.  We suspend judgment.  This is especially seen in the statement of Jesus on the Cross when He said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”  He didn’t even allow Himself to arrive at the judgment of those who were condemning Him to death.  He did not hold anything against them and presumed the best in regard to their intentions.  “They know not what they do.”  This requires a great depth of love and mercy. Reflect, today, upon your own ability to forgive completely.  Start by letting go of the condemnation of another’s sin.  Then try to let our Lord bring you one step closer to His perfect merciful heart by letting go even of judgment.  Let God be the judge.  For your part, seek only to forgive. Most merciful Lord, help me to forgive all who have offended me and all with whom I am angry.  Free me from the burdens of condemnation and judgment and replace these tendencies with Your merciful heart.  May I imitate Your perfect forgiveness in my life.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The Road to Virtue - Living Between the Extremes

February 19, 2022 Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.  Mark 9:5-6 This passage comes in the midst of the glorious event of the Transfiguration.  Peter, James and John went up a high mountain with Jesus, and Jesus was suddenly transfigured before them.  He was radiant white with light shining forth and He was speaking with Moses and Elijah.  These three Apostles witness this miraculous event and they are so overwhelmed and excited that Peter says something that seems a bit silly.  As the Scripture points out, “He hardly knew what to say.”  But, nonetheless, he suggests that they build three tents, one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah.  Of course, Jesus doesn’t respond to this offer, because He knew Peter was so excited that he couldn’t think straight.  Moses and Elijah certainly did not need tents.  One subtle truth of the spiritual life to take from this passage is that, at times, when we have a powerful experience of the presence of God, we can be tempted to go to what we may call a “holy extreme.”  Peter was instantly so excited that he wanted to stay right there on the mountain.  Of course, this was not practical and not rational.  It wasn’t a big deal that he had this reaction, but it is worth noting and learning from. At times, we can find ourselves feeling very close to God and deeply inspired in one way or another.  When this happens, we may find that the emotional response we have is, in a sense, to go overboard.  Not overboard in our love of God, that’s not possible, but overboard in a zeal that is more based in our emotions than it is in the will of God.  This is the classical example of having a “spiritual high.”  Yes, we must strive to be deeply intimate with our Lord, but we must always make sure that even good emotions do not lead us down the road of our own will rather than the will of God. Reflect, today, upon any tendency you may have in this regard.  The goal of a virtuous life is true balance between the extremes.  Though we must be 100% committed to God and His will, we must make sure that we are not drawn to one side of the road or the other.  Pray that our Lord will keep you firmly on the path that leads to Him and His holy will. Lord of perfect virtue, I do desire to be totally Yours in every way.  I desire to love You and serve You with my whole mind, heart, soul and strength.  Help me to always follow Your will and Your will alone.  Help me to never be deterred from the path You have set before me.  May I live between the extremes I am drawn to so that I may live a true life of virtue.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The True Depths of Christian Love

February 18, 2022 Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”  Mark 8:34 The first most fundamental question posed to us through this Scripture is this: Do you wish to come after Jesus?  Unless this question is answered first, the rest of what Jesus says will have no effect upon us.  So let’s look at that question. Intellectually speaking, everyone reading this has most likely answered that question in the affirmative numerous times.  Each time you go to Mass, spend time praying, or read the Scriptures you are, in one way or another, saying, “Yes, I want to come after You, Lord.”  Most likely, we have all even said specific prayers by which we make the conscious choice to follow Christ.  But we should see much more than the need to simply make an intellectual choice in this passage. The phrase, “Whoever wishes” seems to reveal even more than a decision, it also reveals a desire.  It reveals that a desire to follow Christ is not usually the first step in the process, it’s the last.  The first step is to come to an understanding of the truth and to profess it.  Secondly, we must will what we have chosen.  Thirdly, once grace begins to work on us to transform us, we begin to “wish” or “desire” all that Jesus wants of us and all that He calls us to embrace.  So what will we find ourselves “wishing” if we are following Christ with our whole being?  We will find that we desire what Jesus reveals next; namely, we will desire to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow in the footsteps of Jesus.  Do you desire that? It’s easy to desire to love and be loved, at least on a more superficial level.  Hopefully, we all enjoy kind and caring words, both giving them and receiving them.  But the true love of Christ, following His example of love, requires a desire for selfless and sacrificial love.  This is the perfection of love!  We are called, ultimately, to love without even considering the cost or the demands that Christian love places upon us.  Or, to take it even further, we are called to love even that which is painful and difficult when it is the will of God.  His will most certainly includes acts of sacrifice.  True love, ultimately, desires even this. Reflect, today, upon this most fundamental question.  Do you wish to come after Jesus and, therefore, are you ready and willing to embrace and even desire all that this entails?  You make the choice; God will place the desire in your heart.  Say “Yes” to Him and His Cross.  In the end, you will be eternally grateful you did. My sacrificial Lord, I want to desire Your Cross.  I want to come to a level of love through which I desire to give myself completely to You, without counting the cost, and even desiring those acts which require great sacrifice.  You embraced Your Cross without reserve out of love for us.  Help me to imitate Your perfect example.  Jesus, I trust in You.