Luke 14: 25-33
Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Sacrifice in Love
Jesus’s teaching here, and with his life, shows us that without the cross, there is no Resurrection.
Likewise, the pursuit of a faith that does justice in love of one’s neighbor does not happen without sacrifice. In his book, The Cost of Discipleship, German theologian Detrich Bonhoeffer discussed the importance of Matthew 25 as the way to follow Christ through the love of one’s neighbor. He referred to the idea of cheap grace as “grace without the cross, without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate”. What is Jesus asking me to sacrifice in love of my neighbor? Am I willing? Am I able? Only through God’s grace.
—Dr. Sajit U. Kabadi is the Assistant Principal for Mission, Ministry, and Diversity at Regis Jesuit High School in Colorado.
Prayer
Lord, teach me to be generous,
to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to look for any reward,
save that of knowing that I do your holy will.
—St. Ignatius Prayer for Generosity
Pray with the Pope
The Holy Father’s Monthly Prayer Intentions Brought to you by Apostleship of Prayer the first Friday of each month.