Predicazioni/Marco/Perdere per trovare: la logica paradossale del discepolato cristiano/English Version
Losing to Find: The Paradoxical Logic of Christian Discipleship (Mark 8:34–38)
The Savior Jesus Christ presents a surprising paradox: whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses it for love of him and the Gospel will save it (Mark 8:34–38). This biblical reflection will focus our attention on the profound meaning of these words: true life is not preserved by withholding it, but by giving it, following Christ on the path called "of the cross" and daily faithfulness. Jesus' call to not conform to "this adulterous and sinful generation," similar to our own, is also highlighted: an invitation to repentance, to renounce the ego and idolatry of the world, to find in God freedom and true life, the life that can never be lost again.
Self-preservation
Every creature has a natural instinct for self-preservation. It's the force that makes us flee danger, defend what we have, and seek safety and survival. Humans, with their intelligence and sensitivity, are no exception to this law: ultimately, almost every one of our daily decisions stems from the desire to continue living and living well.
German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer calls this impulse the will to live: a blind, irrational drive that runs through everything that exists, keeping life itself in motion. Later, Sigmund Freud, in his book "Beyond the Pleasure Principle," spoke of a life drive (Eros), in contrast to a death drive (Thanatos). In other words, life is sustained only by striving to preserve itself, and every being tends to protect, preserve, and endure.
Yet, when we listen to Jesus' words in the Gospel of Mark, we are surprised. He says: "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mark 8:35). It is a paradoxical, almost scandalous thought. Jesus seems to overturn the very logic of nature and man: not to save, but to lose; not to hold on, but to give. Yet, behind this "counterintuitive" language, he reveals a deeper truth: true life is not found in self-preservation, but in self-giving .
Christianity does not deny the value of life, but frees it from the idolatry of the ego. Jesus does not ask us to despise our existence, but to stop considering it a possession to be defended at all costs. He invites us to offer it to God, as He himself did in his life, suffering, and death on the cross, to find it renewed, redeemed, and fulfilled.
Mark's text and its context
Jesus' words are found at a crucial point in the Gospel of Mark (8:34–38). Let us listen to them.
“And when he had called the multitude unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For whosoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:34-38).
Up until that point, the disciples had followed a powerful Jesus, who heals, teaches, and captivates the crowds. But now He begins to reveal the true meaning of His mission: "The Son of Man must suffer greatly... be killed, and after three days be raised" (v. 31). Peter himself reacts indignantly—"This will never happen to you!"—but Jesus harshly rebukes him: "Get behind me, Satan!" It is one of the most powerful scenes in the Gospel.
Immediately afterward, Jesus broadens his discourse: he no longer speaks only to the disciples, but "to the crowd with his disciples." It's as if he were saying: "What is true for me is also true for you." Following Christ means accepting what we might call the way of the cross, the via crucis, the same logic of giving and losing for love, to achieve results "for the many," as the apostle Paul writes: "For if by the transgression of the one man the many died, much more has the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded to the many" (Romans 5:15).
The evangelists Matthew (16:24–26) and Luke (9:23–25) report the same words, but with different nuances. Matthew speaks to the disciples, Luke says that Jesus addressed them “to all,” emphasizing the universal nature of the invitation. John, however, does not report this phrase exactly, but expresses it differently: “Whoever loves his life loses it; and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25). All four, however, agree on this point: following Jesus means giving up living only for oneself .
1. Denying Oneself: Liberation from the Ego
Jesus begins by saying: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself." Denying oneself doesn't mean annulling one's personality or despising life, but refusing to put oneself at the center. It is liberation from the tyrannical ego that wants to control everything, obtain everything, be served by everyone.
The "self" that must be denied is the one that demands autonomy from God. It is the ego that says, "My will be done." But whoever wishes to follow Christ must learn to say, "Your will be done." Only in this way can life return to being true life, because it rediscovers its natural order: God at the center, not man.
It is a renunciation that liberates. Those who live for themselves remain prisoners of their own ego; those who live for Christ enter into the freedom of the children of God. Discipleship begins when we stop saying "I" and begin to say "Christ." The apostle Paul rightly transforms it into a lifestyle, saying: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
2. Taking up your cross: daily faithfulness
Jesus adds: "Take up your cross and follow me ." The cross, for the listeners of the time, was not a religious symbol but the instrument of the most cruel and shameful death. Taking up one's cross therefore means accepting the possibility of the supreme sacrifice, of suffering, of a world that rejects and condemns us, for the love of Christ and His cause.
The cross, however, is not only the ultimate martyrdom: it is every daily fidelity that costs something. It is remaining faithful to the truth when it is convenient to lie; it is persevering in loving even when one is wounded; it is choosing the path of justice when lying would be easier.
The disciple does not seek suffering, but does not reject it if it is the path of faithfulness to God and the good of others. Jesus does not ask for isolated heroism, but daily consistency: carrying the cross means living each day under the banner of obedience to God. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Good Samaritan helps an unknown victim of crime not only by showing concern for him, but by spending his own money. "...he took two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come back, I will repay you'" (Luke 10:35).
3. Losing to Save: The Paradox of the Christian Life
Jesus says: "Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it." This is the law of the Kingdom. Those who live only for themselves, who seek security and success at any cost, will ultimately lose what they sought to save. But those who accept losing their life "for Christ and the Gospel," that is, out of love and fidelity to the truth, with Christ at the service of the salvation of others, will discover a meaningful, true, and eternal life.
Jesus thus overturns the prevailing standards of this fallen world. Life is not a possession to be defended at the expense of anyone else, but a gift to be spent, invested for the Kingdom of God. Jesus says: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). Those who cling to their own life lose it, but those who entrust it to God find it again.
Christ himself is the supreme model: he "lost" his life on the cross, but in doing so he "saved" it and ours, redeeming us from the tragic effects of sin. The Apostle writes: " ...for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Following him means retracing his same path, certain that the way of the cross is the way of glory.
4. Christian self-denial is not fanaticism
At this point, we must also clarify a frequent misunderstanding: Jesus does not call us to what is usually considered fanaticism, nor does he invite us to seek death. His path is not that of those who destroy themselves for a religious idea or a political ideology, nor even for the questionable concept of "nation." Often, "dying for one's country," for example, means giving one's life to foolishly serve the ambitions of ruling classes and potentates who exploit the idea of "fatherland" for their own political and economic interests. In that case, we must refuse to do so, exposing its deception—and yes, even at our own risk. Fanaticism arises from pride and the desire to prove something; Christian self-denial arises from love and trust.
Whoever loses his life "for my sake" does so for the love of a Person, Jesus, who does not say from the height of a comfortable and protected office: "Arm yourselves and go," "Fight for me," "Serve my cause," but for the cause of the One who Himself entered "the battlefield." The Apostle John writes: " We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers" (1 John 3:16). He does not die out of contempt for the world, but to serve the world according to the will and purposes of God. He does not seek suffering, but agrees not to flee from it when faithfulness to Christ requires it.
The cross is not a symbol of destruction, but of redemption. Those who embrace it, united with Christ, are not extinguished, but find themselves sharing in his victory over selfishness, sin, and fear. True self-denial is self-forgetful love, not self-aggrandizing violence.
5. Faithfulness in an Adulterous and Sinful Generation
Jesus concludes: "Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of the Father."
An "adulterous and sinful generation" is one that, despite knowing the truth, prefers to follow other gods—the spiritual idolatry of power, pleasure, and autonomy. It is a generation that prides itself on its freedom but rejects fidelity.
Our age is no different. It too is "adulterous," because it betrays the living God to worship ego and success. It is "sinful," because it calls evil good and good evil, because it replaces the Gospel with the religion of the self.
Christ's disciple is called not to be ashamed of him, but to confess him openly, even when the world mocks, isolates, or condemns. To be ashamed of Christ today means to remain silent out of fear; but the true disciple is not ashamed of his Lord, because he knows that one day Christ himself will acknowledge him before the Father.
Jesus does not invite us to tragic heroism, but to a profound freedom: that of those who have discovered that life is truly worthwhile only when it is given. The disciple is not a gloomy ascetic or a desperate idealist, but someone who has seen the greatest love in Christ and desires to follow him.
To unbelievers, these words may seem harsh; but those who live them discover that they contain a new joy. Life is not saved by holding on to it, but by giving it away. And those who learn to do so, even just a little, experience the truth of Jesus: "Whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospel's will save it. For us, Christians already on the journey, these words remind us that the maturity of faith does not consist in believing more things, but in loving more, even when it costs. Spiritual growth is learning, day after day, to trust the Lord completely. He lost his life for us: losing it for Him is never a defeat, but the path that leads to full life.
Conclusion
The words of Jesus on which we have reflected today remain an offense to the common sense of the world, but a light for those who seek the truth. He speaks not as a moralist, nor as an ascetic disillusioned with life, but as One who knows it to the full, because he gave it and took it back in the resurrection. His message overturns all human logic: those who live only for themselves are lost; those who give themselves, find themselves; those who flee the cross, lose their life; those who embrace it out of love, enter into true glory. It is the logic of the Gospel, the opposite of the logic of the world.
To those who view these words with skepticism, Jesus offers a challenge: look at the world that exalts the ego, wealth, and power. Have they perhaps found the happiness it promises? Everything the world calls "success" fizzles out, and those who live for themselves end up losing themselves. Jesus offers a different path: not escape from life, but its redemption. "Lose in order to find" is his formula, but it is also the secret law of all true existence. Only those willing to give themselves discover the fullness they sought in vain. Jesus, the Savior of the world, has opened the way.
And to us, who already know and follow him, the Lord renews his invitation today: "Remain faithful, do not be ashamed of me, carry your cross every day in the service of God's ultimate purposes." It is not an invitation to sacrifice for its own sake, but to the freedom born of love. Those who walk with Christ learn to no longer measure life by the standards of the world, but by those of the Kingdom. Perseverance, fidelity, the courage to remain steadfast when the truth is out of fashion—these are the daily crosses that reveal the power of grace.
The repentance that Jesus calls for is therefore a return to reality, to the truth of things: detaching ourselves from this adulterous and sinful generation, which worships itself, to rediscover in God the source of life. It is a step of freedom, not of renunciation; of trust, not of resignation.
And to those who fear "losing," Jesus responds again: "Do not fear. What you lose for my love, you will never truly lose: in me you will find it again, transformed into eternal life." Here is the divine paradox: true life is gained only when we stop defending it.
Whoever loses his life for Christ is not extinguished: he enters into the life that does not die. This is the promise, this is the victory—and this is our hope.
Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, You who gave Your life for us, and on the cross revealed the true measure of love, teach us not to fear losing ourselves for You. You know how strong our instinct is to preserve, to defend, to hold back: but You alone can free us from this fear that imprisons us. Make us willing to follow in Your footsteps, not to be ashamed of You and Your words in the midst of a generation that too often calls evil good and good evil. Grant us the courage to live differently, to seek not our own advantage but Your glory, not to fear the judgment of others but to desire Your approving gaze. Rekindle in us the spirit of repentance: may it distance us from pride, from the love of this world, and bring us back to the humility and trust of children. Help us to understand that only those who surrender to Your love find true freedom, only those who give themselves unreservedly discover the life that never dies. Lord, teach us to lose well—to lose what is unnecessary to gain what is eternal, to lose for love, to find our joy in You. And when Your glory is revealed, may You not be ashamed of us, but acknowledge us as Yours. In Your name, O crucified and risen Christ, we entrust our lives to You, and we pray: make us true disciples of Your Gospel. Amen.
Paolo Castellina, October 9, 2025