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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider The mission of the Twelve

The mission of the Twelve

Published Jun 28, 2026 12:05 am  |  Updated Jun 27, 2026 03:52 pm
REFLECTIONS TODAY
Gospel • Matthew 10:37-42
Jesus said to his apostles: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”
Losing and finding life
Towards the end of Jesus’ discourse on discipleship, we find this verse: “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (v 39).
Following Jesus is a losing proposition. You do not only lose your loved ones, your properties, but also your life. All these happen to those who become followers of Jesus before and after his death and resurrection.
Jesus clearly sets the conditions to his followers if they want to accompany him in his journey up to the finish and to continue later to spread whatever they have learned from him. His mission is something big. It is not for kids. Those who want to work with him must be tough and must have the stamina to bear pains, heartaches, and violence.
Jesus promises that losing one’s life is not the end of the story. It is finding it. It is finding it in a new context—in the Kingdom of God. After some narratives, we will find another set of sayings. These will be the parables of the Kingdom.
In fact, those who do favor to them, because they are prophets and righteous, will also be rewarded.
The First Reading tells us of the story of the prophet Elisha being welcomed by a Shunammite woman. Because of her continuous hospitality, sharing all her available resources, and dying to herself for this man of God, she is rewarded with a son.
In the Second Reading, Paul reflects on the meaning of our baptism. This sacrament of initiation is the start of discipleship… by our dying as we are submerged in water and rising with Christ, as we again rise to catch our breath. In baptism, we lose our sinful life and find a new life, the reward of eternal life.
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2026,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
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