everything

1 peter 1:10-16; Psalm 98 The Lord has made known his salvation; Mark 10:28-31

JEsus in the gospel instructs us that "there is no one who has given up house, brothers, sisters, mothers, father, children, lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, who will not receive..."


JEsus doesn't say that we should give up everything, but it sure does sound like it.

Everything seems like a lot. But in comparison to eternity, in comparison to the love that has been revealed in the life and death of Jesus, 'everything' doesn't even come close.

What doe we hold back? What do we keep for ourselves? What have we refused to surrender to God above? Where have we kept a secret stash for those rainy days or just in case emergencies?

With God, there is no need to hold back; there is no need to save something for a rainy day; there is no reason for 'something' when God asks for 'everything'.

As we enter into Ordinary time, we take notice that the Easter candle that has been burning for the last 50 days, burns no longer. The candle that once was a firery reminder of the presence of Jesus these past 50 days has now been extinguished.

Where has the fire gone?

The church reminds us that the fire is in us; we are all on fire; we are called to be burning examples of true discipleship. The fire burns brightest when everything is set ablaze.

We must be living torches setting the world a blaze. We now symbolize the presence of JEsus in our midst by the life we live.

God has placed his holiness in our hands. We bring that holiness to the world by that which we give for the sake of his name, for the sake of the gospel.

Everything is everything. Everything matters so lets get busy with giving it all away.