I CHOOSE LIFE.

CHOOSE LIFE TODAY.  

"Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 

"What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?” (Luke 9: 22 - 25). 

Thursday February 19th, 2026 is Thursday after Ash Wednesday. 

"If anyone wishes to come after me, he must take up his cross daily and follow Me.

“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”  (Luke 9: 22)

At the beginning of Lent 2026, we hear Jesus speaking of the absolute necessity, the inevitability of His suffering.  

Why is the Spirit giving us this Scripture now? 

 Consider these reasons:

#1.  Are you fully aware of the power of the cross and the necessity of your own suffering?

#2.  No following of Christ without suffering. 

 Rejection of the cross is rejection of Jesus Christ.  (Pope Benedict XVI).

#3.  The Son of Man must suffer before His glorification.  (Luke 24: 26). 

 What is a divine necessity for Jesus is true for us.

There are 37 Doctors of the Church,  great men and women who clarified our doctrine of faith and showed us by example how to live the Christian life. 

 They all suffered either physical, emotional and spiritual pains.

 Everyone of them know something about the comforts and crosses of the Gospel. 

But each one of them accomplished their destiny in spite of their terrible sufferings. Examples: St Alphonsus Liguori, Teresa of Avila, John Henry Newman, Catherine of Siena, etc. 

They are all Doctors of the Church. 

SUMMARY:

The 40 Days of Lent is 40 Days to get us ready for Easter. We choose life! 

Our suffering is blessing in disguise. 

 No cross, no crown. 

So at the beginning of Lent 2026,  the mystery and contradiction of the cross is set before us to grapple with.

The Church honors the Holy of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in February. 

“Let us ask ourselves with St Bernard, ‘Who obeyed? Whom did He obey?’ The Saint replies, ‘God obeyed man! Yes, the God to whom the angels are subject … was subject to Mary, and not only to Mary, but also to Joseph.’” St Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church). 

For Devotional prayer and prayer intentions to the Holy Family, click the link below:

://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-holy-family-devotion.html