"Dear Christina,
Jesus was rather explicit in stating His expectations of those who follow Him: 'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.' (Luke 9:23). In Matthew 6:17-18 He says, 'But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know that you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.'
Basically, Christina, talk is cheap. Anyone can say ' I love you.' But we really know how much others love us by how willing they are to put themselves out for us. And we know how much they matter to us by how willing we are to put ourselves out for them. Jesus said that no one can love a friend more than to lay down one's life for him or her (John 15:13). Sacrifice is the measure of love--as Jesus has shown us.
True, Jesus did not need anything from us in order to redeem us. But He does want our love. He has wanted our love enough to suffer and die for it. To love Him is the greatest thing we can do for ourselves. And He wants this for us because He loves us that much.
This is all that it is, Christina. It's a matter of love.
Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P. "