Daily Readings - Wed Nov 06 2019
Romans
8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.9The commandments, "Do not commit adultery,Do not murder,Do not steal,Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."10Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Luke
25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of love and discipleship. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul reminds us that love is the fulfillment of the law. He lists several commandments—against adultery, murder, theft, false testimony, and coveting—and then sums them up in one simple principle: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." This is not just a suggestion but the very essence of living a Christian life. Paul emphasizes that love does no harm to others, and therefore, it is the plenitude of the law.
In the Gospel, Jesus presents a stark and challenging message about the cost of discipleship. He says that to follow him, one must be willing to "hate" even their closest family members and their own life. This does not mean literal hatred but rather a willingness to prioritize God above all else. Jesus uses two parables to drive home his point: the builder who must calculate the cost of constructing a tower and the king who must assess his chances of winning a war. Both parables emphasize the need for discernment and commitment. Jesus is not asking us to renounce our families or our lives out of hatred but to recognize that following him requires a radical reordering of our priorities. We must be willing to let go of everything that stands in the way of our relationship with him.
These readings remind us that love and discipleship are deeply intertwined. Love, as St. Paul teaches, is not just a feeling but a choice to put the needs of others before our own. At the same time, Jesus calls us to a radical commitment, one that requires us to examine our lives and priorities. In our daily lives, this means asking ourselves: Are we willing to love even when it is difficult? Are we willing to let go of attachments that keep us from following Christ more closely? The moral lesson is clear: true love and true discipleship require sacrifice, but they also bring us closer to God and to one another. Let us strive to live out this love and commitment in our everyday lives.