Gospel Reading – Luke 14: 25-33
Now large crowds were travelling with him; and he turned and said to them, ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.” Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand?
If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.
The Gospel of the Lord
The Mass intention is for Patrick Doyle RIP
Reflection
Today is the feast of Ignatius of Loyola, the author of the book of the Spiritual Exercises and the founder of the Jesuits. He liked to speak of himself as the Pilgrim, always searching for God’s will for him, and growing in his ability to find God in all things. Through the intercession of this saint, I ask for real inner freedom that I too may become more sensitive and open to God’s loving presence in my life and in the world around me.
The Gospel is much more than an ethical message about a particular, Christian, way of life. It is about Jesus, his own person and the Kingdom he came to proclaim. Here he shows how radical are his demands on those who choose to follow him: even when we remove the dramatic form of the words he uses, we are reminded of the first commandment, of loving God before all else. I ask for a heart of a real disciple of Jesus, loving him above all else.
Discernment is a word we are hearing more than ever before, and we can run the risk of getting used to it and lose its impact. Here Jesus is asking us to be wise and discerning in our choices – enthusiasm is not enough for it can easily fizzle away. Following Jesus is a demanding way of life, so we should think well before embarking on this road; otherwise we might face disillusionment. The key is freedom, interior freedom that understands that material possessions can be real obstacles on our way to follow Jesus. I ask for the grace of a discerning heart.
- This passage about the cost of discipleship presumes that following Christ is demanding? Do I find it demanding?
- Do I take the time out to Discern the things that effect my life or do I just muddle along?
Gregorio Lazzarini (1655-1730), The Savior Embraces S. Ignatius Loyola