The first reading that we heard today (cf Wis 9:13-18) is a powerful reminder of how great God is and how wondrous his plans for us are meant to be. We may have already experienced God's gentle and abiding love for us, but if we are sincere about wishing to submit ourselves to Him ... if we really seek to model our lives on His life, we should also be prepared to be challenged because our God constantly calls us to the realization of truth.
Jesus reminds us that discipleship makes some tough demands on us: Whoever of you does not give up all their possessions cannot be my disciple (Lk 14:33). Saint Paul demonstrates this truth in his willingness to continue speaking about Jesus even if to do so meant that he had to be imprisoned (cf Philemon 9).
Why then should we follow Jesus? Would life not be easier if e were to follow our own desires or only commit ourselves half-heartedly to living our faith? Yes, in the short run, perhaps this would be easier on us, but the real reason why most people choose to attempt anything that is challenging is because of the results. An athlete sacrifices and trains for better performance; a student reads, writes and reviews consistently to obtain desirable grades. So too, following Jesus will produce greater results than anything else we might commit to doing.
The result of following Jesus is everlasting life. Our earthly lives are perishable. Some day these tangible bodies of ours will all return to dust, but God has promised to restore and to perfect the life we originally received. Christ came to show us that our earthly lifespan does not have to be all we know. God has prepared something much better for us: eternal life in paradise, and it is ours to be enjoyed without end.
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