For whoever would save his life will loose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 16:25 provides the basic message of the Gospel in one sentence. To the non Christian these words may seem contradictory or even nonsensical but to followers of Christ, whether they are Catholic or not, the words make perfect sense.
This commentary from the Navarre Bible puts the verse into proper perspective.
Our Lord’s requirement means that we must renounce our own will in order to identify with the will of God; and so to ensure that, as St. John of the Cross comments, we do not follow the way of those many people who “would have God will that which they themselves will, and are fretful at having to will that which he wills, and find it repugnant to accommodate their will to that of God. Hence it happens to them that oftentimes they think that wherein they find not their own will and pleasure is not the will of God; and that on the other hand, when they themselves find satisfaction, God is satisfied. Thus they measure God by themselves and not themselves by God.”(Dark Night of the Soul, book 1 chap 7,3)
How often do we find ourselves asking God to do for us the things that we want rather than what God wants us to do or have. Growing up this is how I viewed God. I viewed God in a selfish way and always asked him for things that I thought I needed rather than what he willed for me. I had not lost my life to God in that sense. I was too immature to recognize it at the time. Now that I look back it is clear what I was missing. God is patient though.
Now when I pray to God I remember the words of the Our Father- “Thy will be done”. Remember that we should follow the will of God not our own or better yet make our will conform to the will of God. Lose you life to God rather than save it for your own selfish desires.
On another level this passage can be taken at its most literal sense. This can apply to the early Christians and Christians today that are being persecuted for their beliefs. Many often have literally given their lives for God’s sake. This was a hot button issue in the early Church for those who saved their lives rather than accepting martyrdom. I once had a Christian tell me that these people were still saved even though they renounced Jesus. I wonder how that squares with this passage. I suppose this is a discussion for another time and place.
