REFLECTIONS TODAY
What Jesus demands in today’s Gospel is radical following of him by placing him at the top of our priorities. Thus, the surprising injunction to “hate” one’s family members when following Jesus has to be understood in this light. Surely, it is not actual hating them but that willingness to let go of them should God ask us to follow him unreservedly. In other words, if and when we decide to follow Jesus, we have to put Jesus (God) above all, no matter how important our family, close friends, and the like, are. On the other hand, Jesus demands total renunciation of material goods if we want to be his real disciples. Our wealth or possessions, especially if they are many, can hinder us from totally following Jesus or imitating his kind of life. Doing this will be very difficult, but if we trust God and love him above everything else, we can do so. At the same time, we should not forget what he said that if we seek first the Kingdom of God, everything else will be given us besides.
First Reading • Phil 2:12-18
My beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work. Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. But, even if I am poured out as a libation upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with all of you. In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.
Responsorial Psalm • Ps 27
“The Lord is my light and my salvation.”
Gospel • Luke 14:25-33
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone 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 finish 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.”
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024.” E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.