23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
… And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it? Luke 14: v28
Intro: Today we have to consider the cost of living a truly Christian life. Jesus makes it abundantly clear in the Gospel, that if we really want to follow Him as genuine disciples, then we have to be wholehearted about it: everylhing else - family, friends, possessions - even ourselves - must take second place to Him.
Readings: Ben Sirach reminds us that no one can know the mind of God: it's hard enough to know earthly things, let alone heavenly matters. Wisdom comes from God alone.
An imprisoned Paul is writing to his friend, Philemon, about a slave called Onesimus who had stolen money and run away. Paul asks his owner be merciful and take him back as a brother and equal, rather than continue to treat him as a slave, because we are all equal in the sight of God.
Wisdom 9: 13-18;
Philemon 9-10, 12-17;
Luke 14: 25-33
When a project manager draws up a budget and schedule, he almost always includes some slack to account for unforeseen circumstances, which have a habit of creeping into the equation and final cost is almost always far higher than that originally anticipated.
Today's Gospel contains a piece of practical advice: if you're embarking on a project, calculate the cost first. The same thing goes for the Christian life: while we may not be able to anticipate the full cost (and perhaps that's not a bad thing) we must understand that it will cost us. Jesus pulls no punches in the Gospel: His example of family hatred is disturbing, and shocks us, which is, of course, what it's designed to do.
In the Gospel, great crowds followed Jesus, but all with their own agenda: the sick followed, in the hope of being cured; the hungry followed, in the hope of being fed; the politicos followed in the hope that He would be the One to free them from Roman rule. But Jesus wasn’t happy with people just following on blindly, without thinking. If they wanted to be real followers, then they had to break from the crowd; if they wanted to join Him, then they would have to pay the cost - on their own - it couldn’t be paid by others.
Today, there's still a sacrifice and a cost to following Jesus. But to follow His advice, you don't need to leave the church or fall out with those you love, or burn your most treasured possessions - that would be to miss the point. It's all about total commitment, which may well mean giving up some of your material possessions, some relationship, your dignity, your status, your ease of heart; in short, anything which draws us away from following Jesus.
So what's the quality of our own discipleship? Do we keep all the Commandments, or are we selective, picking and choosing those which suit? Are the promises made in Baptism and Confirmation still valid. Are you faithful to your marriage or religious vows in mind and spirit? Do you respect your parents .. your children? If we're afraid of total commitment, then we remain like an unopened gift - full of potential beauty and worth; but never really knowing its worth until you've opened it. The cost of discipleship lies in ridding ourselves of the slavery which binds us to other things. Only when we are prepared to pay the cost can we buy the freedom to become what St. Paul calls, ”a prisoner of Christ."
The language Jesus uses is harsh. Following Him isn't going to take mere friendship; it's going to take a determination which goes beyond common sense. So can we give up our ambitions, our plans, our attachments or home comforts in order to dedicate ourselves to prayer and the care of those in need? Jesus promises us that it's in this giving away of ourselves that we'll draw closer to Him, and discover a new way of living and loving. In the quiet of our hearts - can we honestly say that if our lives were at stake, would we still put Jesus first? If being Christian was a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict us?
A really hard-working priest and a taxi driver renowned for his reckless driving both died at the same time, and both appeared before St. Peter. The taxi driver was waved straight through the gates, but the priest was stopped and told that he'd have to spend some time in purgatory. When he complained, St. Peter gently explained, "Father, up here, we pay on results. When you preached, you sent people to sleep. When the taxi driver drove, he made people pray."
Intercessions
Today God challenges us to use the gifts which He's given us to spread compassion and love:
1. For those who lead and govern the Church. May their commitment to social justice echo the message of Jesus Himself - Lord, hear us.
2. For world leaders. May they work together to build a more tolerant, loving and peaceful world which will help bring about an end to the dreadful situation in Ukraine and all the other parts of the world where there is unrest and conflict - Lord, hear us.
3. For those who have found the cost of their faith too high, and walked away. Bring them back to trust Your love and friendship - Lord, hear us.
4. For those who are struggling to make ends meet, because of unemployment, redundancy or the sheer cost of living. May they find sufficient to live with dignity, and regain hope in their lives - Lord, hear us.
5. For our young people. Help them grow up strong in their faith, and realise that true freedom only comes from listening to, and obeying, their own conscience - Lord, hear us.
6. For Claire Madden who died recently, and for all those whose anniversaries occcur about now. After sharing in the suffering of Your own Son, may they rise with Him to the same glory and fullness of life which is rightfully theirs - Lord, hear us.
Lord, we bring our prayers before You. Help us to become more aware of the love You have shown us, as we thank You for Your compassion and love, and for listening to these prayers.