THE WORD
FIRST READING: Wis 9,13-1
For who knows God’s counsel,
or who can conceive what the Lord intends?
For the deliberations of mortals are timid,
and uncertain our plans.
For the corruptible body burdens the soul
and the earthly tent weighs down the mind with its many concerns.
Scarcely can we guess the things on earth,
and only with difficulty grasp what is at hand;
but things in heaven, who can search them out?
Or who can know your counsel, unless you give Wisdom
and send your holy spirit from on high?
Thus were the paths of those on earth made straight,
SECOND READING: Phlm 9,10.12-17
I, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus. I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment,
I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel, but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary. Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man and in the Lord. So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.
GOSPEL: Lk 14,25-33
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to fi nish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say; “This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.”
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”
IN OTHER WORDS
When I was a young boy, there were times when my mother or father would use hard words (not harsh) to explain to me the realities I needed to understand. Some of those times, I accepted the truth and obeyed my parents. There were times I resented the truth.
The truth of discipleship or the cost of discipleship is a hard reality. Perhaps this is the reason Jesus chose the word hate and renunciation. The reality of discipleship becomes harder when it would demand that I hate even my own life. I believe that Jesus wanted to stress emphatically the point that following him could not be considered a part-time commitment. He demanded a full commitment to those who wanted to follow him. This commitment includes leaving those I loveand cherish in my life. It includes sacrificing possessions, cherished relationships and my own priorities.
Jesus becomes my only cherished possession. Jesus becomes my only love. His vision and mission become my own and my priority.
Now that I understand the weight and the enormity of the task of discipleship, I cannot just jump into it without thinking. Jesus shows me that I should not just depend on feelings or emotions in following him. I must use my intelligence to discover what’s at stake in embarking on this journey of discipleship. How much should it cost me? What is demanded of me? Can I sustain it? Do I have enough ammunition of strength, power, goodwill and practical thinking to face the challenges that are part and parcel of discipleship?
I believe that when reality slaps me hard on the face to be reminded of my commitment to God, to Jesus, I should not resent it, but squarely confront the truths. I realize that as much as I am very emotionally charged in following Jesus, I need also to have a practical mind and a lot of goodwill and be accepting of the hard truths that would fall into my lap as I follow Jesus.
- Fr. Patricio R. delos Reyes Jr, SVD | Liceo del Verbo Divino – Tacloban City
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
