Daily Readings - Wed Nov 08 2023
Romans
8Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.9The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Luke
25Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them,26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.27Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.28For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,30saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'31Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?32And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.33So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the essence of love and the cost of discipleship. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul reminds us that love is the fulfillment of the law. He writes that whoever loves their neighbor has fulfilled the entire law, for love does no harm to others. This passage emphasizes that love is not just a feeling but a commitment to live in a way that prioritizes the well-being of others above our own desires.
In the Gospel, Jesus presents a stark challenge to those who would follow him. He says that to be his disciple, one must be willing to "hate" even their closest family members and their own life, and to take up their cross. This does not mean literal hatred but rather a willingness to prioritize God above all else. Jesus uses the parables of the builder and the king to illustrate the need for discernment and commitment. Just as a builder calculates the cost of a tower or a king assesses his ability to go to war, we must be willing to renounce all that we possess and take up the cross if we are to be true disciples.
These readings are deeply connected. While Romans focuses on the transformative power of love, the Gospel emphasizes the radical commitment required to live out that love. Together, they call us to a life of self-sacrifice and devotion. In our daily lives, this means prioritizing love in our actions and relationships, even when it is difficult. It also means being honest about the costs of following Christ and being willing to let go of anything that stands in the way of our relationship with him. Let us reflect on whether we are truly living as disciples, bearing our crosses with faith and trust in God’s plan.