Homily for Friday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus often spoke in paradoxes. 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, we will lose ourselves if we are concerned only with ourselves and our needs and desires. 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 also 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 when we look beyond ourselves to others, to the Lord present in others, we experience the Lord's own joy and life, which is an indication of the joy and life of the kingdom of heaven.