Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Luke 14: 25-33
September 07, 2025 | Sunday

Today’s Gospel

One day, when large crowds were walking along with Jesus, he turned and said to them, “If you come to me, unwilling to sacrifice your love for your father and mother, your spouse and children, your brothers and sisters, and indeed yourself, you cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not follow me, carrying his own cross, cannot be my disciple.

Do you build a house without first sitting down to count the cost, to see whether you have enough to complete it? Otherwise, if you, have laid the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone will make fun of you: ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

And when a king wages war against another king, does he go to fight without first sitting down to consider whether his ten thousand can stand against the twenty thousand of his opponent? And if not, while the other is still a long way off, he sends messengers for peace talks. In the same way, none of you may become my disciple, if he doesn’t give up everything he has.

Today’s Reflection

Following the Lord requires us to give everything we have and sacrifice everything there is. This is true to the apostles, to the martyrs, and including us. Oftentimes, however, we have misconstrued this reality as pertaining only to those who consecrate themselves to the Lord through ordination and profession of vows. But that is not the case. All of us are given this exhortation. In the Gospel, it is clear that Jesus was talking to the crowd, not just to the twelve. And with crystal clarity, he tells them the requirement for discipleship: “If you come to me, unwilling to sacrifice your love for your father and mother, your spouse and children, your brothers and sisters, and indeed yourself, you cannot be my disciple.” Jesus, our Lord, comes first, above all else, even family. As such, our discipleship should not be compromised by our friends and families. Better yet, we are the ones who should bring our family and friends to Jesus. The blessed martyrs throughout history have shown us all that it is better to give everything for the Lord, even losing one’s life than to secure our lives and relationships at the expense of the Lord being with us in our lives. May we all fully give ourselves to the Lord and follow him unreservedly all the days of our lives.

/Vulnerasti, 2025