Gospel Reflection Sept 7 – Deacon Frank Iannarino
Sunday, September 7
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 14: 25-33
Gospel:
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,
anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.”
Gospel Reflection:
Jesus offers a series of challenging statements in this Sunday’s gospel. No doubt, you will hear words which will grab our attention and grate against our sensibilities. First, Jesus asks us to hate our families. Then he asks us to hate our own lives. Finally, he asks us to renounce all our possessions. These, he explains, are the conditions of discipleship. These are the costs we must take into account as we prepare to follow him.
Jesus asks us to announce things that are good, so we my easily misunderstand his admissions in this weekend’s gospel. Family is meant to be a school of holiness, a place in which we can exercise Christ-like love; certainly, our lives are good because God created them! Finally, our possessions are necessary to us; they make it possible for us to live, contribute to society, serve each other, and worship God.
It is possible, however, to be so consumed by any of these things that we stop looking at Jesus and orienting our lives towards him. A life of discipleship is a life that is oriented toward God and striving to be faithful to God. The key, therefore, is not that we are literally asked to give up our family or our possessions, but that we are willing to give these things up for the love of God. It is our willingness that makes all the difference. Ultimately, Jesus is getting to what it means to be a disciple. Discipleship requires sacrifice. May Jesus grant us a share in his generosity and courage so we might be willing to do whatever it takes to orient our lives to him.
Deacon Frank Iannarino