Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Lk 14:25-33
September 4, 2022 | 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:

After a thorough planning, the first thing to do in any building construction is to secure its foundation. It is believed that the strength of a building lies in its foundation; it holds the structure above it and ensures that the building remains upright. Without it, the building will quickly fall onto the ground disproportionately which can cause cracks and damage to the building. Construction experts will agree that a properly-built foundation will keep the building even and supported, even during natural calamities such as flood or earthquake. With proper foundation, the building can also resist movement that happens on the ground. It is also believed that the soil moisture levels frequently change, temperature fluctuations impact the soil conditions, tectonic plates move below, and water tables can be altered below the building at any time. When a building is not anchored to a foundation, it can crack, break apart or even be washed away by the natural forces at work below the ground.

Just as any edifice needs a proper foundation in order to avoid serious risk, our relationship with God needs to be anchored as well to a strong foundation. We heard how Jesus told the large crowd, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Lk. 14:26-27). Jesus perhaps uttered this to them because he was only concerned with their intention in following him. These people witnessed how Jesus performed miracles of healing. They heard him preaching on the plain. They saw him associating with the outcast, sinners, women and the poor. They might have considered him as a “Rockstar” or someone whom God sent to alleviate them from poverty and injustices. They might be thinking that he is already the answer to their prayers as they were facing the tremendous effect of a political crisis in their land. Our Lord  might have sensed how superficial their following of him was and so, he took it as an opportune moment to challenge them that a true disciple gives up everything he or she has (v. 33). It is as if Jesus was telling them “If you really want to follow me, then give up everything for my own sake.”

This message of Jesus is not easy to understand from a human perspective. We all have the tendency to seek comfort, to live in convenience and to protect our own selves. Such is not the case in following Jesus. The first reading succinctly expresses that human thoughts are timid, the foresight is uncertain (Wis. 9:14). Hence, there is a need to ask for wisdom (v. 17) so we will be corrected in the right path and learn the things that are pleasing to God (v. 18). Such seeking of wisdom was demonstrated through a parable of a fellow who builds a house, and a king who wages war against another king (Lk. 14:28-31). Both first sit down to count the cost as in the case of building the house or to consider whether his men can stand against his opponent as in the case of the waging for war. In the religious sense, the act of “sitting down” suggests seeking wisdom from God which entails a careful, detailed, rational thinking which is opposed to an impulsive decision made in a moment of intense emotion without much thought about the consequences. This is what the multitudes lacked when they followed Jesus. Hence, their following of Jesus is superficial because they were attracted in what they saw and wanted to gain something from him.

A true discipleship is really founded on prayer. One who does not pray is not a disciple at all. That person is likened to an ill-founded or to un-founded construction. When one prays, the person ATTACHES himself to the source of mission and discipleship. Praying DETACHES us from anything that gives us temporary comfort and happiness. Prayer as a foundation to Christian discipleship converts a true disciple to becoming a “prisoner of Jesus Christ” (Phlm. 9). /Vulnerasti, 2022