Zabenthung Dominic

Jesus, when You spoke these words, “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword,” my heart paused. At first I felt uneasy, unsure of what You meant, but then I listened more closely. You were not calling us to hurt each other or stir conflict. You were calling us to choose You with all our hearts, even when it costs us something, even when it means walking a path that others may not understand.

You were not asking for division but for love that is whole and undivided. You were asking for loyalty that does not sway when the winds change, for a heart that remains steady when everything else feels uncertain. You were calling us to stand close to You, to follow not out of fear but out of love.

You never promised comfort or ease. You promised Your presence, Your truth, and the peace that comes not from avoiding difficulty but from staying rooted in love. That, somehow, is more than enough.

Lord, You never asked me to abandon my family or to stop loving the people in my life. You asked me to love You above all, to let that love shape every other love I carry. When You are first in my heart, I am free to love others more deeply, more honestly, and more selflessly.

When You said, “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me,” You were not warning me away, but gently showing the cost of love. You were revealing the quiet courage needed to walk with You, where joy and sorrow sometimes walk hand in hand. You were inviting me into a life that is honest, brave, and real.

Jesus, teach me to choose You in the small moments when no one is watching, in the silent battles of my heart, in the choices that shape who I am becoming. When I feel drawn to comfort or afraid of what lies ahead, whisper gently to my soul that You are enough. Your love is stronger than fear, and Your way leads to life.

Help me carry my little crosses without bitterness. Help me follow behind You with a steady heart. Remind me that You went ahead of me first, that You carried the heaviest cross of all, and still, You look at me with love and ask only for my trust.

When I lose myself, let me find You. And in finding You, let me discover who I truly am.

Jesus, I want to follow You not because I am strong or perfect, but because You are gentle and near. You do not leave me. You walk beside me. You know the weight I carry, and You lift it with me.

Make me more like You – not louder or braver in the eyes of the world, but more patient, more loving, more faithful, and more free.

Amen.