for your father and mother, your spouse and children, your brothers and sisters, and
indeed yourself, you cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not follow me carrying his
own cross cannot be my disciple.
Do you build a house without first sitting down to count the cost to see whether you
have enough to complete it? Otherwise, if you have laid the foundation and are not
able to finish it, everyone will make fun of you: ‘This fellow began to build and was
not able to finish.’
And when a king wages war against another king, does he go to fight without
first sitting down to consider whether his ten thousand can stand against the twenty
thousand of his opponent? And if not, while the other is still a long way off he sends
messengers for peace talks. In the same way, none of you may become my disciple
if he doesn’t give up everything he has.
Reflect
Today we are again faced with readings that don’t seem to agree with each other. Paul
speaks of love for others as the fulfillment of the law, while Jesus tells his followers that
they must be willing to sacrifice their love for those closest to them if they wish to be his
disciples. How can we understand these readings? In fact, both readings are calling us
to the same thing: to love without limit, the way that Jesus loves us. That love is
unconditional and expansive. It is not insular, limited only to those closest to us.
It is easy to love those who love us and who will be able to reciprocate any kindness.
But, like Jesus, we are called to love those who are least lovable, those who cannot
reciprocate our love, and even those who may not appreciate our kindness. But Jesus
calls us to give of ourselves, even if we receive nothing in return.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023