'Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first (Mt. 19:27-30).'
The twelve sacrificed everything for the kingdom of God, so Jesus promises them that they will share in the risen Christ’s glory and His authority. Jesus said that the twelve will sit in judgment of the twelve tribes of Israel who he had come to gather (Mt. 10:6). But St. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, wrote to the Christians in Corinth, “Do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world (1 Cor. 6:2)?” All followers of Christ, who have made great sacrifices for the kingdom, will inherit eternal life, share in Christ’s glory and be given the authority to sit in judgment with Christ over everyone who did not accept Christ. Those who follow Christ with their whole heart will reap great rewards when they are resurrected.
Almighty God, there is nothing that we have sacrificed for your kingdom that you did not first give us the will to sacrifice. The graces you have given us throughout our lives far outweigh anything we have given up to follow your Son. We ask that you look at the intentions of our hearts and be merciful unto us when we stand before you with so little to show for all your blessings and allow us, unworthy though we are, to enter into your glory. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
Jose M. Casciaro, Santiago Ausin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Vincente Balaguer, Francisco Varo, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (2017). The Navarre Bible - New Testament. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.
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