Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest
Matthew 16:24-28
“Take up your cross, and follow me.”

Jesus speaks these words not just to Peter, but to every disciple—including us. His invitation is not a command imposed with force, but a proposal offered in love. He desires followers who freely choose Him, not out of fear or obligation, but from the joy of discovering a life rooted in love. That’s why He says: “Whoever wishes…”

Jesus offers three imperatives—not rigid demands, but descriptions of a life fully lived in love.

The first: “Deny yourself.” This has often been misinterpreted as a call to suffering or self-hatred. But Jesus isn’t asking us to renounce joy—He is pointing us away from selfishness, the true enemy of happiness. The world tells us: “Think of yourself first.” But Jesus, who knows our deepest design, says: “You were not created to live turned inward. You are made for love.” Self-denial, then, is not about losing ourselves but about finding the freedom to love fully, without calculation or self-interest. A faith that makes us sad or bitter is not the faith of Christ. He came that we might have joy, and have it to the full.

The second: “Take up your cross.” Again, this doesn’t mean passively accepting suffering as God’s will. Jesus didn’t choose the cross for its pain, but because it was the cost of loving in a world resistant to love. He stood against systems of violence, exclusion, and injustice—and for that, he suffered. To take up the cross is to choose his path, to walk as he did, even when it leads to misunderstanding, mockery, or loss. Those who stand with the poor, forgive enemies, speak truth, and live humbly may be rejected—but they walk the road of the Gospel.

The third: “Follow me.” This means keeping our eyes fixed on Christ, the one true GPS for our lives. We follow Him by staying close to His Word, by praying, by receiving the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, He gives us not only strength but a vision: “This is my body, given for you.” Our lives, too, become bread for others.

“What can one give in exchange for his life?” There’s no worldly good worth more than a life lived in truth. Finally: “The Son of Man will repay everyone according to their conduct.” Not our achievements, but our likeness to Christ—His image in us—will be our true glory.

Jesus invites us to live boldly, love deeply, and follow Him freely. This is not a call to misery, but a path to joy that lasts forever.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025