Whoever finds his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life, for my sake, will find it.
Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes him who sent me. The one who welcomes a prophet,
as a prophet, will receive the reward of a prophet; the one who welcomes a just man, because he is a just man,
will receive the reward of a just man. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones,
because he is my disciple, I assure you, he will not go unrewarded.” When Jesus had finished giving his twelve
disciples these instructions, he went on from there, to teach and to proclaim his message in their towns.
REFLECTION:
The most serious threats to our relationship with God are not those convincing atheists or worldly lifestyles.
The strongest challenges to our faith are our very own personal relationships. We can love God along with our
parents and children or be equally loyal to God, our spouses and friends. There may be no conflict at all.
But our Gospel challenges us to be faithful to God as God. This can shake our families, friendships, and affiliations.
Who will you listen to when a homeless family asks for accommodation: God OR your spouse who cannot admit other people in your home?
If you are a doctor, who will you follow when a poor patient begs to be admitted in the hospital you work at: God or your colleagues?
The people closest to us can be the first ones to hate us when we listen and give in to God’s insistence.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020