Mk 8:34—9:1
34[Jesus] summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it. 36What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? 37What could one give in exchange for his life? 38Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
1He also said to them, “Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come in power.”
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?: Let me reword Jesus’ saying in simple and practical ways. What does a man gain if he has a fleet of cars but does not know how to drive? What good is it if one looks great but has underarm odor? What does it profit a man if he has mansions but lives alone because no one can stand him? What good is it if a man is rich and famous but deep down is sad and lonely?
It is better to seek and find the most basic things in life, those fundamentals that remain the same and necessary wherever we go: a family for our dreams, a beloved for our heart, a work for our hands, a vision for our life. We have the same fundamental longings: to love and be loved, to understand and be understood, to forgive and be forgiven.
To prove his love for his woman, a man climbed the highest mountain, swam the deepest sea, and walked the hottest desert. But the woman he loved left him just the same! Why? Because he was always out climbing mountains, swimming in the sea, and trekking in the desert! He forgot the basic secret ingredient of love: presence!
What profit is there if you are on top of the world, but are alone on top? Or your world is Pluto? Thanks, I’d rather be down on Earth.