Daily Reflection – September 28
Vanity is a fundamental truth in human life. It is characterized by a lack of purpose, direction, meaning, and emptiness. Many desires, particularly in youth, provide temporary pleasure and satisfaction. This vanity clouded the disciples of Jesus. It prevented them from understanding suffering as part of God’s redemptive plan. Many of them were caught up in their earthly perspectives, making predictions about Jesus’ passion and death unintelligible. Today, Jesus reminds us of this truth. He is urging us to let these words sink into our ears and see the truth of our salvation. We are called to break free from the layers of vanity and see the truth of our salvation.
A true follower of Jesus, therefore, is one who never evades the path of the cross, which involves suffering and struggle. To reach the destiny of glory, one must walk the way of the Lord, and resisting the cross in life would be a failure and infidelity to their call and identity. The cross of suffering is not a matter of shame but a sign of authenticity, fidelity, and strength of discipleship. Greatness does not consist in avoiding difficulty. Rather, it is in facing and standing firm amid challenges and struggles for the sake of God and the good of mankind that we achieve greatness.
Finally, we have an example in the person of Jesus. Though sinless and perfect, He did not evade the Cross. Rather, he embraced it and transformed it into a means of salvation. As Christians, we are called to do the same by turning our crosses into means or channels of development and grace.