Brother Malachy and Father Mark-Mary reflect upon the challenge of giving everything to God. Many of us have gone all in for sports, like in a big game when our coach told us to “leave it all on the field.” Some of us have even gone all in during a poker game to raise the stakes. Yet, when it comes to going all in for Christ, so often we hesitate.
Why do we willingly put so much on the line for small things, but when it comes to the most important thing of all we hold back?
Maybe it’s precisely because we know how much going all in for Christ will cost us.
However, consider for a moment the reason we go all in for something. It’s because we have this innate understanding that the higher the risk, the higher the reward if we succeed. We are most certainly not only risking a great deal, but knowingly giving up a great deal when we give our lives to Christ.
Therefore, it stands to reason that the reward is all the greater, just like in the parable of the pearl of great price:
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
Matthew 13:45-46