Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Moses said to the people, “Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom.” If we chose to obey his commandments, love him, and walk in his way – we receive life and receive God’s blessing. If we turn from the Lord and do not listen to him – we receive death. So, Moses says to his people, “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life.”
The choice is ours to make.
Why do we often select death rather than life?
I guess it’s the human way. We inherited the tendency to choose the deadly fruit from our first parents, Adam and Eve.
But there is a way out. There is hope of recovery.
We find our hope in Jesus who shows us the way out of the cycle of death we often find ourselves in.
What is this way from death to life? Jesus tells us today:
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
If we want to save our lives, we must give our lives to Christ. We must bare our souls before him, ask for his mercy, and then allow him to forgive us. And then – we follow him – cross and all – to life itself.