ancient Jewish culture, in which family relationships were so important, Jesus’ words were quite demanding. Jesus says loyalty to him even before one’s family is a hallmark of true discipleship. The one who puts family loyalties before him is not worthy of me.

Although not every disciple will be called to actual martyrdom, all are called to die daily to self. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Those who seek happiness in life by pursuing their own interests will never be fulfilled. Only by giving one’s self to God and others do we experience the

Reflection and Application (23:1-36) The Lord’s indictment of the Pharisees should lead us, especially those involved in Christian leadership, to a sober examination of conscience. What is most alarming about the Pharisees is their total unawareness of their dire condition (23:26; see Rev 3:15-17). Given this human capacity for spiritual blindness,

Twice in Matthew’s Gospel we hear of a “cup” that Jesus will drink because the Father wills it (Matt 20:22; 26:39).

But there is a real and qualitative difference between the sonship of believers and the Sonship of Jesus. Disciples can come to know the Father through the Son, by the grace of divine revelation, but the Son knows the Father in a totally unique way. The mutual divine knowledge of the Father and the Son would have remained hidden from us forever

(Gen 4:24).

On Divine Calls, by Cardinal John Henry Newman “Such are the instances of Divine calls in Scripture, and their characteristic is this; to require instant obedience, and next to call us we know not to what; to call us on in the darkness. Faith alone can obey them. But it may be urged, How does this concern us now? . . . For in truth we are not

St. John Chrysostom: “They Will Respect My Son” Why did the vineyard owner send his son after seeing what the tenants did to his servants? St. John Chrysostom explains that the father’s words to himself (“ They will respect my son”) do not reflect naïveté. “This is not the language of an ignorant man. Away with the thought! Rather, it is the

Therefore when Jesus says the true disciple must “take up his cross,” he is not merely calling for acceptance of life’s little inconveniences and hardships. He is calling his disciples to be willing to give up everything, even their lives if necessary, to follow him.