Saint Benedict, Abbot, Co-Patron of Europe
Gospel: Matthew 19:27-29
In today’s Gospel, Peter says to Jesus, “We have left everything and followed you.” Jesus does not deny the reality of the sacrifice, but He immediately directs Peter’s attention away from what has been renounced to the One for whom everything has been left behind. Christian discipleship is not primarily about giving things up; it is about entering into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Every sacrifice finds its meaning only because it is an expression of love for Him. If we focus only on what we have lost, discipleship becomes burdensome. But when our eyes remain fixed on Christ, every renunciation becomes a joyful response to the One who has already given us everything. Jesus promises that no one who leaves anything for His sake will be left empty-handed. What He gives is not merely a future reward but the richness of His own presence, a new family in the Church, and the promise of eternal life. The life of Saint Benedict beautifully illustrates this truth. He left behind worldly ambitions not because he despised them, but because he had discovered Someone infinitely greater. His famous motto, Ora et Labora (“Pray and Work”), reflects a life centered on communion with Christ, from which every sacrifice and every act of service received its meaning. The Gospel invites us to ask not how much we have given up for Jesus, but how deeply we have come to know and love Him, for it is our relationship with Him that transforms every sacrifice into joy. Let’s reflect: Do I measure my discipleship by what I have given up, or by how deeply I know, love, and follow Jesus, for whose sake every sacrifice becomes a joy?
Don Giorgio