The Reward of Sacrificial Community
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
MK 10:28-31
Peter began to say to Jesus, We have given up everything and followed you. Jesus said, Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.
Grace Prayed For
I pray for the grace to trust in the abundance of God’s providence within the life of the Church.
Reflection
Following the departure of the rich young man, Peter highlights the sacrifice the disciples have made. Jesus responds with a radical promise of abundance, centered on a new kind of Community. Our Baptismal Mission teaches us that community is not just a social club; it is the primary place where the Gospel is lived and shared. When Jesus promises a ‘hundred times more’ brothers and sisters, He is describing the Church—the supernatural family formed by those who prioritize the Kingdom. In our daily lives, this means shifting our focus from individual achievement to communal growth. We incorporate Prayer by thanking God for the specific people He has placed in our lives to sharpen us. We live our communal call by being ‘house and brother’ to those who have lost theirs for the sake of the Gospel. This is the heart of hospitality. Lastly, our Mission is fueled by this security. When we know we belong to a community that will sustain us, we are braver in our outreach. The ‘persecutions’ Jesus mentions are a reminder that the world often rejects the logic of Christ. However, by being ‘last’ in the eyes of the world—prioritizing service and humility—we fulfill our calling as a royal priesthood. Today, let us look for one person in our parish or neighborhood who seems ‘last’ or isolated and invite them into the ‘hundredfold’ of our care.
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post