13th Sunday in O.T.

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (year A)

(Mt 10:37–42)

Matthew 10:39 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 10:40 Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.

The disciple is called to make a fundamental choice, upon which everything will subsequently be reoriented and in which everything will find its full meaning. Consequently, whoever spends their life in pursuit of their own well-being and self-affirmation will, at the end of the day—that is, at the moment of life’s end—lose everything, for all their efforts to improve it will inevitably be thwarted by death. Conversely, those who have devoted their lives to Christ and to seeking his will will, in reality, have gained it, for such a life—which appears lost according to human reasoning—will find its fulfilment in Christ himself, to whom they have dedicated themselves and on whom they have staked everything.

There is, therefore, an underlying motivation that drives the entire, complex dynamic of life: the affirmation of one’s own self or the affirmation of Christ in one’s life. These two opposing underlying motivations will give rise to the fundamental choice that will shape and define one’s existential orientation, creating a way of life centred on oneself or on Christ. The ultimate outcomes will be diametrically opposed.

Within us there is a dual life: one which we might call material and temporal, and the other spiritual and eternal. Jesus means to say: ‘Whoever denies me in order to preserve their temporal life loses eternal life; but whoever, faced with the choice of renouncing me or their temporal life, bravely faces death, will find eternal life.’ Everyone, therefore, for the love of Christ, must always be ready to offer their life to martyrdom, just as Christ offered his for the love of the Father’s will. It is, however, in this total loss that life is found again. By losing it on earth, we shall be given a new and resplendent life in heaven; we lose it in time, we gain it for all eternity. If, on the other hand, we hold on to it but lose Christ, we lose both Christ and our whole life for all eternity. It is a choice: either time or eternity; either earth or heaven; either the moment or forever; either paradise or hell. Each person will receive according to their choice.

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” The verb “to welcome” is crucial; it defines the fundamental attitude that must characterise anyone who encounters the proclamation. The Kingdom must be welcomed because it does not impose itself on humankind, but offers itself to it. To welcome means knowing how to step aside in order to create within oneself a space to receive Christ.

With these words, Jesus also demonstrates the dignity of the disciples. They do nothing other than carry on Jesus’ mission. Whoever welcomes the disciples welcomes Jesus himself; and to welcome Jesus is to welcome God, for one sent as a messenger shares in the same dignity as the one who sent him. In this way, a chain is formed which, from the disciples, through Jesus, leads back to the Father, who, in his Son, is the one who sends the disciples themselves. This close interconnection creates a sort of identification and union-communion amongst those who are active in proclaiming the Gospel, so that behind the apostles and Jesus stands the very figure of the Father, who is the source of every sending and every proclamation.

The word of the twelve disciples is the word of Christ. The word of Christ is the word of the Father. Whoever receives the word of the twelve disciples receives the word of Christ and therefore receives the word of the Father. One thing, however, must be made clear: this is true only if the disciple’s word is the word of Christ, always. If the disciple is rejected because he speaks the word of Christ, Christ is rejected and the Father is rejected. Those who listen are responsible for this rejection. If, on the other hand, the disciple is rejected because he speaks his own words, not those of Christ, then those who reject him are rejecting him, not Christ, who is not behind or within the words he speaks. When a disciple of Jesus substitutes his own words for those of Jesus, he becomes a ravenous wolf. One must always be on one’s guard against him.

Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books

- Revelation – an exegetical commentary

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, in the mystery of the Trinity

Jesus’ prophetic discourse (Matthew 24–25)

All Generations Will Call Me Blessed

Catholics and Protestants Compared – In Defence of the Faith

The Church and Israel According to St Paul – Romans 9–11

(Available on Amazon)

97 Last modified on Tuesday, 23 June 2026 20:50

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Argentino Quintavalle

Argentino Quintavalle è studioso biblico ed esperto in Protestantesimo e Giudaismo. Autore del libro “Apocalisse - commento esegetico” (disponibile su Amazon) e specializzato in catechesi per protestanti che desiderano tornare nella Chiesa Cattolica.

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For Jesus we are not a "mass", a "multitude"! We are individual "persons" with an eternal value, both as creatures and as re-deemed persons! He knows us! He knows me, and loves me and gave himself for me! (Gal 2:20) [John Paul II]

Non siamo “massa”, “moltitudine”, per Gesù! Siamo “persone” singole con un valore eterno, sia come creature sia come persone redente! lui ci conosce! lui mi conosce, e mi ama e ha dato se stesso per me! (Gal 2,20) [Giovanni Paolo II]

The grain of wheat that "falls to the ground and dies" becomes the promise of bread (Pope John Paul II)

Il chicco di grano che “cade in terra e muore” diventa la promessa del pane (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)

The power of faith can move mountains (cf. Mt 17:20): the Lord can illuminate even the deepest darkness [Pope Benedict]

La forza della fede può spostare le montagne (cfr Mt 17,20): il Signore può illuminare anche la tenebra più profonda [Papa Benedetto]

By willingly accepting death, Jesus carries the cross of all human beings and becomes a source of salvation for the whole of humanity. St Cyril of Jerusalem commented: “The glory of the Cross led those who were blind through ignorance into light, loosed all who were held fast by sin and brought redemption to the whole world of mankind” (Catechesis Illuminandorum XIII, 1: de Christo crucifixo et sepulto: PG 33, 772 B) [Pope Benedict]

Accettando volontariamente la morte, Gesù porta la croce di tutti gli uomini e diventa fonte di salvezza per tutta l’umanità. San Cirillo di Gerusalemme commenta: «La croce vittoriosa ha illuminato chi era accecato dall’ignoranza, ha liberato chi era prigioniero del peccato, ha portato la redenzione all’intera umanità» (Catechesis Illuminandorum XIII,1: de Christo crucifixo et sepulto: PG 33, 772 B) [Papa Benedetto]

In the New Testament, it is Christ who constitutes the full manifestation of God's light [Pope Benedict]

Nel Nuovo Testamento è Cristo a costituire la piena manifestazione della luce di Dio [Papa Benedetto]

Faith opens us to knowing and welcoming the real identity of Jesus, his newness and oneness, his word, as a source of life, in order to live a personal relationship with him. Knowledge of the faith grows, it grows with the desire to find the way and in the end it is a gift of God who does not reveal himself to us as an abstract thing without a face or a name, because faith responds to a Person who wants to enter into a relationship of deep love with us and to involve our whole life (Pope Benedict)

La fede ci apre a conoscere e ad accogliere la reale identità di Gesù, la sua novità e unicità, la sua Parola, come fonte di vita, per vivere una relazione personale con Lui. Il conoscere della fede cresce, cresce con il desiderio di trovare la strada, ed è finalmente un dono di Dio, che si rivela a noi non come una cosa astratta senza volto e senza nome, ma la fede risponde a una Persona, che vuole entrare in un rapporto di amore profondo con noi e coinvolgere tutta la nostra vita (Papa Benedetto)

Jesus Christ clearly indicates that even acts of devotion and penance (such as fasting, almsgiving, prayer), which by their religious purpose are primarily 'interior', can succumb to current 'externalism', and can therefore be falsified [John Paul II]

Gesù Cristo indica chiaramente che anche gli atti di devozione e di penitenza (come digiuno, elemosina, preghiera) che per la loro finalità religiosa sono principalmente “interiori”, possono cedere all’“esteriorismo” corrente, e quindi possono essere falsificati [Giovanni Paolo II]

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