Jesus is infinitely generous in his reward


We have left everything... How many times have we experienced, in responding with new generosity to the demands of the Christian vocation, that the effective detachment of goods brings with it the liberation of a considerable weight: like the soldier who strips himself of his impedimenta when he enters combat in order to be more agile in his movements. In this way, in the service of God, we savor a lordship over the things that surround us: we are no longer slaves to them and we live with joy what St. Paul alluded to: we are in the world as those who have nothing, but possess everything. The heart of the Christian who has thus stripped himself of selfishness is more easily filled with charity, and with it all things are his own: All things are yours, you are Christ's and Christ is God's.


Peter reminds Jesus that, unlike the young man they have just left, they abandoned everything for him. Simon does not look back, but he seems to need some words from the Master to reaffirm that they have gained from the exchange, that it is worthwhile to be with Him, even if they have nothing. The Apostle shows himself to be very human, but his question expresses at the same time the trust that united him to the Lord. Jesus was filled with tenderness for those who, in spite of their defects, followed him faithfully: Truly I tell you, there is no one who, having left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and the Gospel, will not receive in this life a hundredfold in houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields, with persecutions; and, in the age to come, eternal life.... "Let us see if you can find anyone on earth who will repay so generously!"10 Jesus does not fall short. Not even a cup of cold water - an almsgiving, a service, any good deed - given by Christ will go unrewarded. Let us be sincere in examining how we live detachment, poverty: can we affirm before God that we have given up everything?


If so, Jesus will not fail to confirm us along the way. He who takes into account even the smallest of actions, how can he forget the faithfulness of day after day out of pure love? He who multiplied loaves and fishes for a multitude that followed him for a few days, perhaps without much rectitude of intention, what will he not do for those who have left everything to follow him always? If these who follow after Him were in need of particular help to go forward, how can Jesus forget, what will our Father God deny us when we turn to Him in the absence of means? "Just to return to Him His son, after betraying Him, He prepares a feast, what will He grant us, if we have always sought to remain at His side?".


Christ's words gave assurance to those who accompanied him that day on the road to Jerusalem, and to those who down through the centuries, after having surrendered everything to the Lord, once again seek in the Lord's teaching the firmness of faith and surrender. Christ's promise far exceeds all the happiness that the world can give. He wants us to be happy even here on earth: those who follow him generously obtain, already in this life, a joy and a peace that far surpasses human joys and consolations. And to this joy and peace, a foretaste of Heaven, must be added eternal beatitude. "There are two hours of life and a very great reward; and when there is none, but to do what the Lord has advised us, the reward is great in imitating His Majesty in something.


Meditación diaria