In the Gospel for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time C, Jesus teaches about the cost of discipleship. “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’ ” (Luke 14: 27-30). Following Jesus is not easy. It involves crosses. Disciples stay close to Jesus even through the struggles of life. Closeness to Jesus brings the joy of the presence of God. God’s presence is priceless. How do you calculate the cost of your Christian discipleship?
In the Gospel for Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time C, Jesus teaches a lesson about hospitality during at dinner hosted by a leader of the Pharisees. “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14: 12b-14). God is generous with God’s love. God loves everyone, especially the unfortunate. Christians especially welcome with generosity and love all in unfortunate circumstances. I have poor, crippled, lame, and blind people in my life. Christ wants me to care for those who are suffering from a chronic disease, struggling with an addiction, trying to pay the ren and feed a family, recovering from the death of a love one, and more. Who are the poor, crippled, lame, and blind who need your loving care.
In the Gospel for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time C, Jesus teaches about the doorway to salvation. “Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few people be saved?’ He answered them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough’ ” (Luke 13: 23-24). Disciples of Jesus keep on the “straight and narrow” by loving God and neighbor. Like squeezing through a narrow passageway, doing the loving thing can be a struggle. Love demands commitment. Loving spouses, children, friends, and even strangers requires determined effort. Jesus wants us to persevere in following his example of love. How do you experience the narrow gate of loving God and others?
In the Gospel for the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time C, Jesus warns his disciples about the opposition that they will encounter. “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division” (Luke 12: 49-51). Jesus came to set the world on fire with God’s love. God loves everyone. God wants us to love everyone including the mentally ill, people of color, victims of trafficking, migrants, and LGBTQ people. Those who burn with love for these marginalized can encounter the opposition of racism and sexism. Yet the fire of God’s love burns down all obstacles and divisions. How does the fire of God’s love burn in your heart?
In the Gospel for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time C, Jesus tells the Parable of the Servants Waiting for the Master’s Return. “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them” (Luke 12: 35-37). Jesus wants his disciples to be ready for the reign of God. Christians today must be ready for Jesus’ return. We ready ourselves by loving others. But God loves us first. In the heavenly banquet, God, like the master, will be serving us. God waits for us lovingly. God gives us all good things. God waits on us providing all we need. God lovingly waits for us to love in return. How does God wait on you? You on God?
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