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Gospel: Mark 10: 28-31
Peter began to say to Jesus,
“We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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“Master, we have given up everything and followed you.”
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On the surface, Peter’s right.
Unlike the rich young man, whom we encountered in yesterday’s Gospel, Peter and the others have left their boats, their homes, and even their families, in order to follow Jesus.
That’s a huge sacrifice.
But the Christian journey – yours and mine – comes at more than a physical cost; we also must part with things we carry in our heart.
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For example, Peter and the others are still journeying with their pride.
Just a few verses prior, Jesus catches them arguing over who is the greatest. They’re interested in titles and seats of honor, not suffering or persecution.
Although they’ve left everything behind physically, they’re still a work in progress.
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What about me? What am I carrying in my heart that I need to let go of?
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Perhaps this can be our focus for Lent: leaving behind what no longer serves us, freeing us to follow Jesus more faithfully.
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Image credits: (1) First Church of Christ (2) United Faith Church Blog and Devotions (3) Salem United Methodist Church