Mt 16:24-28
24Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? 27For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct. 28Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Reflection:
He will repay everyone according to his conduct. I know a friend who bought an expensive gift for his friend. “You did that?” I asked him. “Call it an investment,” he said.
Everything we do in this life is our investment—how we study, how we relate with people, how we are faithful to our tasks and our relationships, how we are kind, how we thank our God. Do not look at them as requirements, demands, punishments, burdens, or crosses. Treat them as investments, the proper conduct expected of us. We will get our benefits and our fair share. Count on it. God knows every good deed and every suffering. He cares about every cry. He notices every seed planted. He enjoys every love sown.
But let us not do things just for the recompense. The joy of doing good is itself the reward. God’s compensation will be the profit and extra benefit.
Invest in an act of charity today. Pay for the fare or snacks of the one near you.