Where Jesus tells His disciples that whoever loses their life for His sake will find true, eternal life.

Trying to protect your own selfish desires and earthly comfort leads to spiritual emptiness.

Surrendering your own control to follow Jesus brings eternal and meaningful life.

Ultimate Value. Jesus asks what it profits a person to gain the whole world yet lose their soul.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊       

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 

There is a given time

For everything and a time for every happening under heaven:

A time for giving birth, a time for dying; a time for planting, a time for uprooting.

A time for killing, a time for healing; a time for knocking down, a time for building. 

A time for tears, a time for laughter; a time for mourning, a time for dancing. 

A time for throwing stones, a time for gathering stones; 

A time for embracing, a time to refrain from embracing. 

 

A time for searching, a time for losing; a time for keeping, a time for throwing away.

A time for tearing, a time for sewing; a time to be silent and a time to speak.

A time for loving, a time for hating; a time for war, a time for peace.

What profit is there for a man from all his toils?

Finally I considered the task God gave to the humans. He made everything fitting in its time,

but he also set eternity in their hearts, although

they are not able to embrace the work of God from the beginning to the end.

 

Ps 144:1b, 2abc, 3-4

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

Luke 9:18-22

One day, when Jesus was praying alone, not far from his disciples, he asked them,

"What do people say about me?" And they answered, "Some say,

that you are John the Baptist; others say, that you are Elijah; and still others,

that you are one of the prophets of old, risen from the dead."

Again Jesus asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered,

"The Messiah of God." Then Jesus spoke to them, giving them strict orders not to tell this to anyone.

And he added, "The Son of Man must suffer many things. He will be rejected

by the elders and chief priests and teachers of the law,

and be put to death. Then after three days he will be raised to life."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

Whoever loses his life for the sake of the kingdom of God will gain.

Jesus told his disciples of the death he would suffer at the hands of unbelievers.

Jesus assured them that he would rise again on the third day.

The disciples may not yet have understood the suffering that awaited Jesus.

They may not have realized that they, like Jesus,

 

would give their lives for the salvation of many. As Jesus promised,

whoever loses his life for the sake of the kingdom of God will gain it.

Just as Jesus rose from the dead, so will those who believe and put his word

into practice be resurrected and will enjoy eternal happiness in heaven.