Every serious vocation demands a lot of sacrifice and self-denial. The world, with all that surround us, entices mankind to take the path of self-love, that only seeks pleasures and interests of itself. But Christ came to teach the principle that gives life to others at the cost of denying the self, or sacrificing one’s own self. Hence, He said, “Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit” (Jn 12:24). The example He gives about the grain of wheat, follows the law of nature, that by falling into the ground and remaining unnoticed, the new life sprouts and produces multiple of its own kind, while other grains which do not take this course of life, either become food for insects, birds or mankind, or decay and go useless. Of course, the way Christ sets before us by His own salvific actions, is hard to follow, but that only produces a chain of multiple fruits. May we imitate the mentality of our Master and be living witnesses to Him. 

Abba, thank You for inviting us to the path of Your Son’s denial of the self. Let Your Spirit give us courage to tread upon the way of our Master, in Jesus’ Most Powerful Name, Amen.