7th of August 2026 Friday in the Eighteenth week of Ordinary Time, Year II Nah 2:1.3; 3:1-3,6-7 Mt 16:24-28 Before Jesus speaks of His glory, He first speaks of His Cross. In the *Gospel* of today, He tells His disciples: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Mt 16:24). Only after speaking about the Cross does He reveal that the Son of Man will come in glory to reward each person according to his deeds. The message is unmistakable: the Cross always comes before the Crown. This truth is illustrated in the first reading. Nineveh was once a mighty empire that seemed invincible. It desired the crown of power and glory but rejected the path of justice and righteousness. Pride, violence, and oppression eventually led to its downfall. It sought greatness without God and ended in disgrace. Our world teaches us to pursue success without sacrifice, pleasure without discipline, and glory without suffering. Jesus teaches the opposite. There is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday; no resurrection without Calvary. Every lasting achievement demands perseverance, every vocation requires sacrifice, and every disciple must carry a cross. The cross each of us carries may be sickness, disappointment, financial hardship, family struggles, betrayal, loneliness, or the daily effort to remain faithful in a corrupt society. Jesus does not promise that these crosses will disappear immediately. Instead, He promises that if we carry them with Him, they will lead to eternal glory. We can draw the following lessons: -Do not abandon God because following Him is difficult. -Every sacrifice made for Christ has eternal value. -Trials are not signs that God has abandoned you; they are often part of His preparation for greater blessings. -Be patient in suffering and faithful in doing good. God crowns those who persevere. Whenever you are tempted to give up because life is difficult, remember this unchanging truth: the Cross comes before the Crown. Those who remain faithful to Christ in the struggles of today will share in His glory tomorrow. May the Lord give us the courage to embrace our daily crosses with hope, trusting that He never asks us to carry a cross without also preparing a crown. God bless us all