Sharing His Destiny!

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Gen 49:29-32, 50:15-26a; Mt 10:24-33

Today’s Gospel highlights the fact that if discipleship is about walking Jesus’ path, it also means sharing his destiny. 

In his mission discourse, Jesus cautions his disciples that ‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a servant above the master.’ We can roughly translate Jesus’ statement to mean, ‘If we walk Jesus’ path, we will share his destiny.’ 

What is it to walk Jesus’ path? What does it mean to share his destiny?

Walking Jesus’ Path: Discipleship is following the footprints of Jesus. However, Jesus foresees opposition, persecution, and betrayal for his disciples. Since discipleship is participating in the Master’s life and sharing his dreams and vision, Jesus believes that his disciples will endure the same negative experiences just as he did, though he promises communion without abandoning them to their fate. While cautioning his disciples, Jesus also tells them not to be afraid, and he repeats it thrice for emphasis. Hence, walking Jesus’ path is to undergo moments of distrust, betrayal, and persecution. 

Sharing Jesus’ Destiny: As we can read for ourselves, the words of Jesus move from warning to hope. The use of the term ‘Beelzebul’ to discredit the cure performed by Jesus shows that he was mocked bitterly. The hostility, misunderstanding, and slander that were thrown at Jesus led to his crucifixion. But that is not all. Sharing Jesus’ destiny means partaking not only in his suffering but also in his future glory. Hence, though the cross symbolizes defeat for many, the resurrection becomes God’s vindication of Jesus. Here, Jesus does not mislead his disciples by only highlighting the privileges of discipleship. Instead, Jesus wants them to be aware of the cost of it. 

The lives of saints also remind us that the cross is the ladder to heaven. Refusing the suffering that the cross entails is refusing the resurrection that it achieves. 

Let us pray that we may have the courage to walk Jesus’ path and share his destiny. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar