November 5,
2014 Wednesday
31st Week in
Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Phil 2:12–18
Gospel: Luke 14:25-33
One day, when large crowds were walking along with Jesus, he turned and said to them, “If you come to me, without being ready to give up 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.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Just as construction projects need a good feasibility study so that contractors can make an intelligent cost analysis, so one should make deeper reflections in order to calculate the cost of discipleship! The specifications are out: “If you want to follow me, you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).
Self-denial makes discipleship a costly project. We have been born into this world with closed fists. By nature we are all selfish and self centered. None of us is naturally disposed to deny himself. But Christ promises an easy yoke to those willing to deny themselves (Matthew 11:29). Let’s take note, however, that Jesus only assures us of the lightness and manageability of his yoke.
The assurance does not include immunity from problems. Nonetheless the assurance is good enough. Our crosses will be lighter to carry because of his grace.
One may ask: If Christ offers rest to those who take his yoke upon their shoulders, how come life begins to feel unbearable to those who start life anew in Christ? Blame this on the disciple’s failure to master self-denial. If one follows Christ without learning the art of self -denial, his discipleship is short-lived. He becomes a builder who, failing to make a reliable feasibility study, goes ahead constructing but aborts the project half way for lack of resources. Without self denial, a person puts down the cross halfway through the journey. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email:[email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
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