Daily Readings - Wed Nov 03 2021
Romans
8Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.9For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.10Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Luke
25And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,26If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.28For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?29Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,30Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.31Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?32Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.33So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the essence of Christian living and the radical commitment required to follow Christ. The first reading from Romans reminds us that love is the fulfillment of the law. Paul lists several commandments, but he sums them all up in one: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This love, he says, does no harm to others and is the very essence of living a Christian life. It’s a powerful reminder that our faith is not just about rules and regulations, but about how we treat one another with compassion and care.
The Gospel from Luke presents a stark and challenging message about the cost of discipleship. Jesus tells us that to follow Him, we must be willing to “hate” our family and even our own life. This doesn’t mean literal hatred, but rather a willingness to prioritize our relationship with God above all else. He uses two parables to emphasize the need to count the cost of discipleship: building a tower and going to war. Both require careful planning and a commitment to see things through to the end. Jesus is asking us to consider whether we are willing to renounce all that we possess—our comforts, our attachments, our very lives—in order to follow Him.
These readings are deeply connected. In Romans, we see that love is the heart of the Christian life, while in Luke, we are reminded that this love requires sacrifice and commitment. Together, they call us to live in a way that prioritizes God and neighbor above all else. In our daily lives, this means being willing to let go of our own desires and comforts when they get in the way of loving and serving others. It means being mindful of how our choices impact those around us and striving to live in a way that reflects the transformative power of God’s love. The moral lesson is clear: following Christ is not easy, but it is worth it. Let us pray for the grace to love without reserve and to embrace the challenges of discipleship with courage and faith.