Homily for Friday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus often spoke paradoxically. One of the most noticeable paradoxes occurred when Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” In other words, if we are concerned only with ourselves and our own needs and desires, we will lose ourselves. However, if we look beyond ourselves toward the LORD and to the lives and needs of those around us, we will find our true selves. 

 

Jesus expressed this fundamental paradox of his teaching in another way when he said, “Give, and gifts will be given to you.” In other words, it is in giving that we receive. 

 

Hopefully, our own experience has taught us that, indeed, it is when we look beyond ourselves to others, to the LORD present in others, that we experience the LORD’S own joy, the LORD’S own life, which is an indication of the joy and life of the kingdom of heaven.+