Jesus explains that being a follower of his is not about finding a place of easy, comfortable tranquility – an isolated home among family and friends who love us.  He warns us that to embrace the Lord and his way will inevitably place us in some conflict with people around us – even loved ones.  The central message is that if we try to save ourselves – if self-protection and self-care dominate our lives – we will lose ourselves, we will become caught up in ourselves and become caricatures of ourselves.  But, the mystery when we call “good news” is that the way to find ourselves, that is, to come to become fully ourselves, is to lose our life – to let go, to surrender, to place our trust in God.

We’ve heard this many times.  I don’t imagine there are many of us – except for a few very free people – who can say, “That’s what I want and that is how I live.”  In fact, it is one of our self-protective, survival instincts deeply imbedded within us to avoid dying, to avoid surrendering control, to avoid even taking risks.  It takes grace and practice to become free from these instincts, to let go of the fear of losing ourselves, in order to get more relaxed at “letting go and letting God” show us how to live in a way that thinks of the needs of others first, that seeks the common good and justice itself, no matter the personal cost.  It is only with great grace and much practice that we can learn to spontaneously live heroic lives of self-sacrifice and generosity, freely and joyfully – lives with Jesus and like Jesus.

Readings like today’s plant the seeds for great desires and deeper prayer: 
Lord Jesus, as you lay out this way to greater life before me, you stir my heart to desire greater freedom and greater love.  Please give me what I need to live this way, to love this way.  Calm my fears, heal the deep hurts and old wounds.  Grant that I might grow in your grace and have the ongoing desire to practice loving more freely today.

Andy wrote this reflection on this gospel in 2010.