Revd Darren McCallig’s sermon from the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.
What does it mean to lose our life in order to find it? Beginning with Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:25, Darren explores the invitation to live fully, deeply and generously. This involves letting go of old habits and ways of thinking, opening ourselves to God and to the lives of those around us.
As Jesus turns towards Jerusalem and speaks of the suffering ahead, Peter struggles to accept a path that challenges his expectations of success. Yet Jesus shows that a life devoted to truth, justice, peace and compassion may come at a cost. Holding tightly to our life and love can harden our hearts; giving ourselves in love opens the way to fullness of life.
Drawing on an analogy from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Darren reflects that love, friendship and trust grow when we share them. Unlike money or control, giving them away does not leave us with less. The sermon closes with a prayer for the grace to live this generosity: to console, understand and love others, discovering through giving what it means to receive.