St. Therese Benedicta of the Cross

“Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

St. Therese Benedicta of the Cross, was born in 1891, and in her youth, she was an atheists. She was a professor at University teaching philosophy, known as Edith Stein. But all of that changed for her when she read the works of St. Teresa of Avila, and became Catholic, and became a discalced Carmelite. She died in Auschwitz in the gas chambers on August 9, 1942, and was canonized in 1988 by Pope John Paul II. She is one of the principle patrons of Europe. She also valued the meaning of the cross, as she followed Christ and embrace her cross.

In our life, as we think about the words of Jesus, it may not be an easy thing because the Lord is asking of us to make sacrifices and to let go of trying to save ourselves, so that we may find it. It is like Pope Francis, who once said, not to worry so much about self-preservation, which goes against every natural instinct, but yet it is in losing one's life for the sake of Christ that we find it, hence the irony that is found in the words of the Lord.

But we must remember that it is God who is asking this of us, and God is someone that we can trust. If we look at Moses in the first reading, he recounts miracle after miracle that God has done out of love for his people. Moses reminded the people how God had rescued them out of Egypt, and delivered them from slavery and brought them into the promised land. The Isralites had to give up their feeling of security in their old life of Egypt, but look at what they had to gain.

God always want what is best for us, even if it means that we give up something that we think we can't go without. God wants us to lead us away from anything that keeps us away from God, or anything that would divide us from the people that we love. But God doesn't force us, God wants us to surrender to God with trust.

God doesn't usually ask of us something earth shattering, but in the little sacrifices each day as we follow Christ. Perhaps, it is giving up some time doing other things so that we may encounter God in prayer. Perhaps, it is to refrain from gossip and use that energy and time to do something productive and helpful for another person.

Spend some time today thinking about what you might need to “lose” in order to find more of your life in Christ. Even if it's something difficult, remember whom you are giving it up for. God won't ask us to give up something without giving us something better in return. God is good, and wants nothing but good for us.

We ask the Lord Jesus to help us to let go of anything in life that leads us away from him.

“Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”