Daily Gospel Reflection for August 11, 2023

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

It is human instinct to fight for one’s life. When we’re in an accident, caught in a dangerous situation, or are otherwise threatened, the only thing on our minds is how to escape the situation and protect our lives. Think of how a drowning person flails about madly trying not to go under water.

In this Gospel passage, Jesus is seemingly telling us to ignore our human instincts, to not fight for our lives but instead recklessly allow whatever happens to happen. But Jesus is saying something much deeper than that. He’s saying that we must focus on the end goal – eternity – and conduct ourselves accordingly. He is instructing us to place the preservation of our souls above the preservation of our bodies.

The life that Jesus speaks of is not physical life per se. He’s asking us to forsake worldly goods and goals as a means of strengthening ourselves against evil and possible damnation. If we are preoccupied by pursuit of comfort, wealth, pleasure, and prestige, we will be distracted from pursuing prayer, grace, humility, and a lasting relationship with God. We could work hard all our lives building our careers, properties, bank accounts, and reputations. We may have achieved the highest honors and have everything at our fingertips materially, wanting for nothing and having everything. That would be admirable in human eyes but not in God’s. He doesn’t care about those things because in the end, they won’t matter.

Jesus tells us to forsake anything of this world to possess everything in the next, even if that means losing our reputations, honor, possessions, income, friends, for family. He wants us to surrender everything – even our physical lives – so that we may live in heaven with Him for eternity. He wants us to fight for our spiritual lives.

Ponder:

Do I feel the same way about fighting for my spiritual life as I feel about fighting for my physical life?

Pray:

Jesus, it's easy for me to fight for my physical life, but not as easy to fight for my spiritual life. Help me, please, to forsake all earthly goals and instead pursue all heavenly ones.

Click to tweet:
Jesus seemingly tells us to ignore our human instincts. But Jesus is saying something much deeper than that. He’s saying that we must focus on the end goal – eternity. #DailyGospel

Daily Gospel 2