Years ago, I heard a preacher make this statement: “You can choose the road you take, but you cannot choose where that road takes you.” In the Spiritual Exercises, the Two Standards meditation asks that we choose the one whose side we will take: Christ’s or the devil’s. And in this passage of Matthew, Jesus is saying, “Make up your mind. Are you with me? If you’re with me, that will determine everything else.”
In following Christ, it will seem at times that we have forsaken other loves and commitments. But the way itself transforms us. While it would seem that I should choose my loved ones before all else, in choosing Christ before even my loved ones, I abide in the One who empowers me to love my loved ones more faithfully, effectively, and graciously.
Today, do I choose Christ? Have I made up my mind?
—Vinita Wright serves as Managing Editor, New Product Development at Loyola Press, Chicago, IL. Click here to enjoy Loyola Press’s “31 Days with St. Ignatius,” a month-long celebration of Ignatian spirituality in honor of St. Ignatius’ Feast Day on July 31. Content includes articles, blog posts, and videos to help you learn about and apply the principles of Ignatian spirituality.