Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary
Time
Lectionary: 487
Lectionary: 487
My beloved, obedient as you have always been,
not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent,
work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
For God is the one who, for his good purpose,
works in you both to desire and to work.
Do everything without grumbling or questioning,
that you may be blameless and innocent,
children of God without blemish
in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
among whom you shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life,
so that my boast for the day of Christ may be
that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
But, even if I am poured out as a libation
upon the sacrificial service of your faith,
I rejoice and share my joy with all of you.
In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.
not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent,
work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
For God is the one who, for his good purpose,
works in you both to desire and to work.
Do everything without grumbling or questioning,
that you may be blameless and innocent,
children of God without blemish
in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
among whom you shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life,
so that my boast for the day of Christ may be
that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
But, even if I am poured out as a libation
upon the sacrificial service of your faith,
I rejoice and share my joy with all of you.
In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14
R. (1a) The
Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Gospel Lk 14:25-33
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
"If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.'
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way,
everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple."
and he turned and addressed them,
"If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.'
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way,
everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple."
www.usccb.org
Meditation:"Whoever
does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple"
Why does Jesus say we must 'hate'
our families and even ourselves? The expression 'to hate' often meant to
'prefer less'. Jesus used strong language to make clear that nothing should
take precedence or first place in our lives over God. Jesus knew that the way
of the cross was the Father's way to glory and victory over sin and death. He
counted the cost and said 'yes' to his Father's will. We, too, must 'count the
cost' and be ready to follow Jesus in the way of the cross if we want to share
in his glory and victory. What is the 'way of the cross' for you and for me?
When my will crosses with God's will, then his will must be done. The way of
the cross involves sacrifice, the sacrifice of laying down my life each and
every day for Jesus' sake. What makes such sacrifice possible and
"sweet" for us is the love of God poured out for us in the blood of
Jesus Christ. Paul the Apostle reminds us that "God's love has been poured
into our hearts through the Holy Spirit" (Romans 5:5). We can never outgive
God. He always gives us more than we can expect or imagine. Do you allow the
Holy Spirit to fill your heart with the love of God?What does the parable of the tower builder and a ruler on a war campaign have in common? Both risk serious loss if they don't carefully plan ahead. In a shame and honor culture people want to avoid at all costs being mocked by their community for failing to complete a task they began in earnest. This double parable echoes the instruction of Proverbs: "By wisdom a house is built" and "by wise guidance you can wage a war" to ensure victory (Proverbs 24:3-6). Every landowner who could afford it walled in his orchard as a protection from intruders who might steal or harm his produce. A tower was usually built in a corner of the wall and a guard posted especially during harvest time when thieves would likely try to make off with the goods. Starting a building-project, like a watchtower, and leaving it unfinished because of poor planning would invite the scorn of the whole village. Likewise a king who decided to wage a war against an opponent who was much stronger, would be considered foolish if he did not come up with a plan that had a decent chance of success.
Jesus tells his would-be disciples that they, too, must count the cost if they want to succeed as his disciples. Jesus assures success for those willing to pay the price. All it cost is everything! What does Jesus have to offer that's worth giving up everything else? More than we can imagine! Jesus offers the gift of abundant life and everlasting peace and happiness with God. (See the parable of the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of great price in Matthew 13:44-45). It's natural to ask what will it require of me or cost me before I sign up or agree to pay for something. Jesus was utterly honest and spared no words to tell his disciples that it would cost them dearly to follow after him. There can be no room for compromise or concession with God. We either give our lives over to him entirely or we keep them for ourselves. Paul the Apostle says, "We are not our own. We were bought with a price" ( 1 Corinthians 6:19b,20). That price is the precious blood of Jesus Christ shed for us upon the cross to redeem us from slavery to sin and death.
The love of God compels us to choose who or what will be first in our lives. To place any relationship or any possession above God is a form of idolatry. Jesus challenges his disciples to examine who they love first and foremost. Jesus' way to glory and power is opposite the world's way of glory, power, and success. The choice is ours, but the Lord does not leave us alone if we choose to follow him. Does the love of Christ compel you to put God first in all you do (see 2 Corinthians 5)?
"Lord Jesus, may your love transform me that I may truly desire nothing more than life with you. May you always be first in my thoughts and intentions, and in my words and actions."
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7
LUKE 14:25-33
(Philippians 2:12-18; Psalm 27)
KEY VERSE: "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple" (v 27).
READING: As Jesus drew closer to his destiny in Jerusalem, he asked his followers to consider whether or not they were prepared to continue the journey. Were they ready to renounce everything, even personal relationships, that might interfere with their following him? Jesus asked his disciples to think carefully about these demands before they made this commitment. He used two examples to explain the need to be prepared. In the first illustration, a builder must make an assessment of his materials before he could begin construction, otherwise he might not be able to complete the job. In the second example, it was necessary for a ruler to weigh the strength of his army before going to battle, or else he might be defeated. Only those who were fully prepared would be able to follow Jesus to the cross that awaited him.
REFLECTING: How prepared am I to make sacrifices for the sake of the gospel?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to examine my spiritual strengths and weaknesses so that I can follow you faithfully.
www.daily-word-of-life.com
The Lord is my light and my salvation
‘You cannot be my disciple unless you give up all you own.’
In the first reading, Paul tells us that God is at work in us and wants us to shine like stars in the world. The psalm also tells of the light, strength and goodness given to those who love God. In the gospel, Jesus speaks of the costly side to discipleship. Jesus says that following him needs to be more important to us than our relationships, our possessions and even our own selves. True disciples are asked to carry the cross.
Much is asked of us in today’s readings, with the promise that in return much will be given to us. Do we hope others will carry the cross while we choose an easier way? Or is being a follower of Jesus the first priority in our life?
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MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Celebrating Unity
There is no greater worship than the Mass, where we witness the salvation won for us by the Lord Jesus Christ. In all the sacraments we encounter God in a deeply personal way. In the Eucharist we also celebrate our unity with our fellow Christians.
— from Catholic and Confident
November 7
St. Didacus
(1400-1463)
 |
| St.Didacus |
Didacus is living proof that God
"chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is
weak in the world to shame the strong" (1 Corinthians 1:27).
As a young man
in Spain, Didacus joined the Secular Franciscan Order and lived for some time
as a hermit. After Didacus became a Franciscan brother, he developed a
reputation for great insight into God’s ways. His penances were heroic. He was
so generous with the poor that the friars sometimes grew uneasy about his
charity.
Didacus
volunteered for the missions in the Canary Islands and labored there
energetically and profitably. He was also the superior of a friary there.
In 1450 he was
sent to Rome to attend the canonization of St. Bernardine of Siena. When many
friars gathered for that celebration fell sick, Didacus stayed in Rome for
three months to nurse them. After he returned to Spain, he pursued a life of contemplation
full-time. He showed the friars the wisdom of God’s ways.
As he was dying,
Didacus looked at a crucifix and said: "O faithful wood, O precious nails!
You have borne an exceedingly sweet burden, for you have been judged worthy to
bear the Lord and King of heaven" (Marion A. Habig, O.F.M., The Franciscan Book of Saints, p. 834).
San Diego,
California, is named for this Franciscan, who was canonized in 1588.
Comment:
We cannot be neutral about genuinely holy people. We either admire them or we consider them foolish. Didacus is a saint because he used his life to serve God and God’s people. Can we say the same for ourselves?
We cannot be neutral about genuinely holy people. We either admire them or we consider them foolish. Didacus is a saint because he used his life to serve God and God’s people. Can we say the same for ourselves?
Quote:
"He was born in Spain with no outstanding reputation for learning but was like our first teachers and leaders unlettered as men count wisdom, an unschooled person, a humble lay brother in religious life. [God chose Didacus] to show in him the abundant riches of his grace to lead many on the way of salvation by the holiness of his life and by his example and to prove over and over to a weary old world almost decrepit with age that God's folly is wiser than men, and his weakness is more powerful than men" (Bull of Canonization).
www.americancatholic.org"He was born in Spain with no outstanding reputation for learning but was like our first teachers and leaders unlettered as men count wisdom, an unschooled person, a humble lay brother in religious life. [God chose Didacus] to show in him the abundant riches of his grace to lead many on the way of salvation by the holiness of his life and by his example and to prove over and over to a weary old world almost decrepit with age that God's folly is wiser than men, and his weakness is more powerful than men" (Bull of Canonization).
St. Achillas
Feastday: November 7Died: 313
 |
| St.Achillas |
Bishop and theologian who lived in an era of dispute in the Church. Achillas was the bishop of Alexandria, Egypt, one of the most powerful cities in the world at the time. Succeeding as bishop a man named St. Peter the Martyr, Achillas ordained Arius, who was to begin the influential heresy of Arianism. When Achillas recognized the untruths in Arius' preaching, he took steps to defend the faith and was attacked by Arius and another heretical group called the Meletians. Achillas remained firm in the faith. A council held in Alexandria condemned Arius and forced him to flee to Palestine. Achillas, however, did not live to see this condemnation.
St. Hyacinth
Castaneda
 |
| St.Hyacinth Castaneda |
Died: 1773
Martyr of Vietnam and a Dominican. Born in Setavo, Spain, he was sent to China and then Vietnam. Hyacinth was beheaded in Vietnam. He was canonized in 1988.
www.catholic.org
ST. ENGELBERT OF COLOGNE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2012
In 1199 he was elected provost of the cathedral at Cologne. He led a worldly life, and in the conflict between two Archbishops, Adolf and Bruno, he sided with his cousin Adolf, and waged war for him. Consequently, he was excommunicated by the pope along with his cousin. After his submission he was reinstated in 1208 and, to atone for his sin, joined the crusade against the Albigenses in 1212. On Feb. 29, 1216, the chapter of the cathedral elected him archbishop by a unanimous vote.
The mendicant orders of the Franciscans and the Dominicans settled in his realm while he was Archbishop. He was well disposed towards the monasteries and insisted on strict religious observance in them. Ecclesiastical affairs were regulated in provincial synods. He was considered a friend of the clergy and a helper of the poor.
Engelbert exerted a strong influence in the affairs of the empire. Emperor Frederick II, who had taken up his residence permanently in Sicily, gave Germany to his son, Henry VII, then still a minor, and in 1221 appointed Engelbert guardian of the king and administrator of the empire. When the young king reached the age of twelve he was crowned at Aachen by Engelbert, who loved him as his own son and honoured him as his sovereign. Engelbert watched over the young king's education and governed the empire in his name, careful to secure peace both within and without of the realm.
Engelbert's devotion to duty, and his obedience to the pope and to the emperor, were eventually the cause of his ruin. Many of the nobility feared rather than loved him, and he was obliged to surround himself with bodyguards. The greatest danger came from his relatives.
His cousin, count Frederick of Isenberg, the secular administrator for the nuns of Essen, had grievously oppressed that abbey. Honorius III and the emperor urged Engelbert to protect the nuns and their rights. Frederick wished to forestall the archbishop, and his wife incited him to murder. On November 7, 1225, as he was journeying from Soest to Schwelm to consecrate a church, Engelbert was attacked on a dark evening by Frederick and his associates, was wounded in the thigh, torn from his horse and killed. His body was covered with forty-seven wounds. It was placed on a dung-cart and brought to Cologne four days later. King Henry wept bitterly over the remains, put Frederick under the ban of the empire, and saw him broken on the wheel a year later at Cologne. Frederick died contrite, having acknowledged and confessed his guilt.
Engelbert's body was placed in the old cathedral of Cologne on February 24, 1226, by Cardinal Conrad von Urach. The latter also declared him a martyr, though a formal canonization did not take place. In the martyrology, Engelbert is commemorated on November 7 as a martyr. A convent for nuns was erected at the place of his death.
ST. PETER OU
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2012
.jpg) |
| St.Peter Ou |
St. Peter Ou is one of the Martyrs of China. He was born to a non-Christian family in 1768. As a young man, he was outspoken with had a deep understanding of justice, and would eventually come to the defense of the poor and oppressed.
He married and ran his own business, which was a large hotel. He was one of the first to convert to Christianity after missionaries arrived in his area, and he took the name Peter at his baptism. He enthusiastically preached Christianity to anyone who came by, later becoming a lay leader of the converts in his district. He also worked as a catechist.
In 1814, he was imprisoned and tortured in a violent backlash against the faith. Under these conditions, he continued to inspire his fellow prisoners in the faith, and he led prayer services in the cells. He was sentenced to death for refusing to apostatize by stepping on a crucifix.
St. Peter Ou was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000.
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LECTIO: LUKE 14,25-33
Lectio:
Wednesday,
November 7, 2012
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God of power and mercy,
only with your help
can we offer you fitting service and praise.
May we live the faith we profess
and trust your promise of eternal life.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
only with your help
can we offer you fitting service and praise.
May we live the faith we profess
and trust your promise of eternal life.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading -
Luke 14,25-33
Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and
he turned and spoke to them. 'Anyone who comes to me without hating father,
mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, cannot be
my disciple. No one who does not carry his cross and come after me can be my
disciple.
'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? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, anyone who saw it would start making fun of him and saying, "Here is someone who started to build and was unable to finish."
Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who was advancing against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace.
So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple without giving up all that he owns.
'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? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, anyone who saw it would start making fun of him and saying, "Here is someone who started to build and was unable to finish."
Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who was advancing against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace.
So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple without giving up all that he owns.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today speaks about discipleship
and presents the conditions to be a disciple of Jesus. Jesus is on the way to
Jerusalem, where he will die soon on the Cross. This is the context in which
Jesus speaks about discipleship.
• Luke 14, 25: An example of catechesis. The Gospel today is a beautiful example of how Luke transforms the words of Jesus into catechesis for the people of the communities. He says: “Great crowds accompanied him. He turned and spoke to them”. Jesus speaks to the great crowd, that is, he speaks to all, also to the persons of the communities at the time of Luke, and today he speaks for us. In the teaching which follows, Jesus gives the conditions for those who want to be his disciples.
• Luke 14, 25-26: First condition: to hate father and mother. Some diminish the force of the word to hate and translate it as “to prefer Jesus to one’s own parents”. The original text uses the expression “to hate one’s parents”. In another place Jesus orders to love and respect parents (Lk 18, 20). How can this contradiction be explained? But is it a contradiction? At the time of Jesus the social and economic situation led the families to close themselves up in self and this prevented them to fulfil the law of ransom or liberation (goel), that is to help the brothers and sisters of the community (clan) who were threatened to lose their land or to become slaves (cf. Dt 15, 1-18; Lv 25, 23-43). Closed up in themselves the families weakened the life in the community. Jesus wants to reconstruct the life in community. This is why he asks to put an end to the restricted vision of the small family which closes up in itself and asks the family to open itself and to be united among themselves in a large family, in community. This is the sense of hating father and mother, and wife, sons, sisters and brothers. Jesus himself, when his parents of his small family wanted to take him back to Nazareth, he does not respond to their request. He ignores or hates their petition and extends his family saying: “Behold, my mother and my brothers! Anyone who does the will of God, is my brother, sister and mother” (Mk 3, 20-21.31-35). The family bonds of union cannot prevent the formation of the Community. This is the first condition.
• Luke 14, 27: Second condition: to carry the cross. “No one who does not carry his cross and come after me can be my disciple”. In order to understand well the importance of this second requirement we have to look at the context in which Luke places this word of Jesus. Jesus is going toward Jerusalem to be crucified and to die. To follow Jesus and to carry the cross means to go with him up to Jerusalem to be crucified with him. This recalls the attitude of the women who “followed and served him when he was still in Galilee and many others who went up to Jerusalem with him” (Mk 15, 41). This also reminds us of Paul’s phrase in the Letter to the Galatians: “But as for me, it is out of the question that I should boast at all, except of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Ga 6,14)
• Luke 14, 28-32: Two parables. Both of these parables have the same objective: that persons may think well before taking a decision. In the first parable he says: “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? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, anyone who saw it would start making fun of him and saying: Here is someone who started to build and was unable to finish!” This parable needs no explanation. It speaks for itself: let each one reflect well on his/her way of following Jesus and ask him/herself if he/she values well the conditions before taking the decision to become a disciple of Jesus.
The second parable: Or again, which king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who was advancing against him with twenty thousand?. If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace”. This parable has the same purpose of the one before. Some ask: “How is it that Jesus uses an example of war?” The question is a pertinent one for us who today know the wars. The Second World War (1939-1945) caused the death to about 54 million persons! At that time, though, the wars were as commercial concurrence between enterprises which today struggle among themselves to obtain the greatest profit or gain.
• Luke 14, 33: Conclusion for discipleship. The conclusion is only one: to be Christian, to follow Jesus. Is something serious. For many people today, to be Christian is not a personal choice, and neither is it a decision for life, but a simple cultural phenomenon. They do not even think of making a choice. Anyone who is born a Brazilian is a Brazilian. He who is born Japanese is Japanese. He does not have to choose. He is born like that and will die like that. Many people are Christians because they were born like that and they die like that, without ever having had the idea of choosing or of assuming that which they are already by birth.
• Luke 14, 25: An example of catechesis. The Gospel today is a beautiful example of how Luke transforms the words of Jesus into catechesis for the people of the communities. He says: “Great crowds accompanied him. He turned and spoke to them”. Jesus speaks to the great crowd, that is, he speaks to all, also to the persons of the communities at the time of Luke, and today he speaks for us. In the teaching which follows, Jesus gives the conditions for those who want to be his disciples.
• Luke 14, 25-26: First condition: to hate father and mother. Some diminish the force of the word to hate and translate it as “to prefer Jesus to one’s own parents”. The original text uses the expression “to hate one’s parents”. In another place Jesus orders to love and respect parents (Lk 18, 20). How can this contradiction be explained? But is it a contradiction? At the time of Jesus the social and economic situation led the families to close themselves up in self and this prevented them to fulfil the law of ransom or liberation (goel), that is to help the brothers and sisters of the community (clan) who were threatened to lose their land or to become slaves (cf. Dt 15, 1-18; Lv 25, 23-43). Closed up in themselves the families weakened the life in the community. Jesus wants to reconstruct the life in community. This is why he asks to put an end to the restricted vision of the small family which closes up in itself and asks the family to open itself and to be united among themselves in a large family, in community. This is the sense of hating father and mother, and wife, sons, sisters and brothers. Jesus himself, when his parents of his small family wanted to take him back to Nazareth, he does not respond to their request. He ignores or hates their petition and extends his family saying: “Behold, my mother and my brothers! Anyone who does the will of God, is my brother, sister and mother” (Mk 3, 20-21.31-35). The family bonds of union cannot prevent the formation of the Community. This is the first condition.
• Luke 14, 27: Second condition: to carry the cross. “No one who does not carry his cross and come after me can be my disciple”. In order to understand well the importance of this second requirement we have to look at the context in which Luke places this word of Jesus. Jesus is going toward Jerusalem to be crucified and to die. To follow Jesus and to carry the cross means to go with him up to Jerusalem to be crucified with him. This recalls the attitude of the women who “followed and served him when he was still in Galilee and many others who went up to Jerusalem with him” (Mk 15, 41). This also reminds us of Paul’s phrase in the Letter to the Galatians: “But as for me, it is out of the question that I should boast at all, except of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Ga 6,14)
• Luke 14, 28-32: Two parables. Both of these parables have the same objective: that persons may think well before taking a decision. In the first parable he says: “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? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, anyone who saw it would start making fun of him and saying: Here is someone who started to build and was unable to finish!” This parable needs no explanation. It speaks for itself: let each one reflect well on his/her way of following Jesus and ask him/herself if he/she values well the conditions before taking the decision to become a disciple of Jesus.
The second parable: Or again, which king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who was advancing against him with twenty thousand?. If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace”. This parable has the same purpose of the one before. Some ask: “How is it that Jesus uses an example of war?” The question is a pertinent one for us who today know the wars. The Second World War (1939-1945) caused the death to about 54 million persons! At that time, though, the wars were as commercial concurrence between enterprises which today struggle among themselves to obtain the greatest profit or gain.
• Luke 14, 33: Conclusion for discipleship. The conclusion is only one: to be Christian, to follow Jesus. Is something serious. For many people today, to be Christian is not a personal choice, and neither is it a decision for life, but a simple cultural phenomenon. They do not even think of making a choice. Anyone who is born a Brazilian is a Brazilian. He who is born Japanese is Japanese. He does not have to choose. He is born like that and will die like that. Many people are Christians because they were born like that and they die like that, without ever having had the idea of choosing or of assuming that which they are already by birth.
4) Personal
questions
• To be a Christian is something serious. I
have to think out well my way of following Jesus. How does this take place in
my life?
• “To hate one’s parents”, community or family! How do I put together these two things? Am I capable to harmonize them?
• “To hate one’s parents”, community or family! How do I put together these two things? Am I capable to harmonize them?
5) Concluding prayer
Yahweh is my light and my salvation,
whom should I fear?
Yahweh is the fortress of my life,
whom should I dread? (Sal 27,1)
whom should I fear?
Yahweh is the fortress of my life,
whom should I dread? (Sal 27,1)
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