ULTIMATE JOY

Mt 10:24-33

The ultimate joy of any disciple is to become like his master. Our ultimate joy is to become like Jesus because Jesus is our Master. There is no other path towards genuine joy for any genuine disciple of Jesus than this. But what is the path that leads to becoming more and more like Jesus?

A man once talked to the Lord and asked Him, “Lord, I want to reach the shores of heaven. What boat should I sail on?” “The cross,” Jesus answered. A second time, the man inquired from the Lord, “I want to go up to heaven, Lord, what mountain must I climb?” “The cross,” Jesus replied. A third time, the man asked the Lord, “Lord, if I already stand before the gates of heaven, but they are locked, what key should I use to unlock them?” The Lord Jesus, without a wink of an eye, said, “The cross.”

We cannot become like Jesus unless, like Him, we carry our cross and even be crucified to it. The sufferings and persecutions we endure are the means by which we are purified, like gold is purified by fire, and molded into the image and likeness of our Divine Master. By denying our selves and carrying our cross daily, we pattern our selves after Jesus, who “though He was God, did not cling to His equality with God but emptied Himself and took the form of a slave, and became as men are; and being as all men are, He was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross” (Phil 2:6-8).

To consider becoming like Jesus is truly exciting but to take the road that leads to complete identification with Him can be very threatening and, therefore, frightening. Yet there is no other way by which we can have the fullness of joy, the fullness of life, than becoming like Jesus.

Today, we pray for three things: faith, courage, and generosity. Rather than possessing faith in the Lord, may we have a faith that possesses us. May this kind of faith strengthen us and defend our spirit from the trials that attempt to break it. Then, with this kind of faith and courage, may we always have the generosity needed to offer our life, not only to Jesus, but WITH Jesus.

Next time you want to convince anyone that you are happy, do not laugh like a hyena; love like Jesus. When you want to make someone happy, do not crack a joke; love like Jesus. When you want to be really happy, be like Jesus.