Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C - 4th September 2022
Gospel Luke 14: 25–33
Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and spoke to them.
‘If anyone comes to me without hating their father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and their own life too, they cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry their cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
‘And indeed, which of you here intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if you had enough to complete it? Otherwise, if you had laid the foundation and then found yourself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start making fun of you, saying, “Here is someone who started to build and was unable to finish.” Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless you give up all your possessions.’
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| Intending to build a tower... Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay |
Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach
I come to my place of prayer and take the time to relax, to breathe gently; aware of being in God’s presence. I ask for God’s Spirit to pray within me and give me the courage to enter into this Gospel.
Jesus is spelling out the cost of discipleship. How do I receive his words?
Do they discourage me, or can I think of occasions when his grace has carried me through tough times?
Or perhaps I recall situations when he has sent others to give me support? I speak to him, maybe asking him to fill me with his love, so that I can respond. What do I feel is his response?
I consider that the Lord calls me every day. What is my great passion in life?
How do the two parables throw light on my commitments?
I remind myself that Jesus invites me to follow him and wishes me to be fully aware of the radical demands of discipleship. I spend time asking him to show me the way, in freedom of heart.
I end my prayer thanking the Lord for showing his great love by taking the way of the cross for me.
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