Week 3 — The Cost of Discipleship

Scripture: Mark 8:34–35

34 He called the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If any wish to come[a] after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel,[b] will save it.

Prayer:
Christ our Teacher, show us what it means to follow You with honesty and courage. Give us strength to carry what is ours to carry, and wisdom to lay down what is not. Amen.

Reflection:
Jesus speaks plainly: discipleship is not convenience but commitment. The cross we carry is not punishment but purpose—the daily choice to love, forgive, serve, and trust. Lent helps us examine what we cling to and what we need to release. In losing the life we’ve tightly gripped, we discover the life God longs to give.