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.” Lk 14:25-33
Jesus outlines a follower of Christ, a disciple. It is difficult. There will be sacrifices, persecution, daily crosses, and suffering. If we put it in the right perspective and accept everything we have as a gift or blessing along with God’s grace, love, and forgiveness we can bear it all. Give glory to God. The worst suffering on earth is nothing but a small cold compared to the glory of heaven. Padre Pio taught me that this suffering is good so that we may have the opportunity to offer it up with Jesus’s suffering to purify ourselves for heaven. We are sinners that deserve hell. We need God. We need a Savior. Today, our Savior reminds us that He is more important than those closest to our hearts on earth, our families. He is more important than our own life. We must carry our daily crosses (sickness, tragedy, cancer, blindness, weight problems, diabetes, divorce, separation, fatigue in daily work, unmotivated, anxiety, depression, fear, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, homeless) but not one of them are as bad as losing our soul. After baptism, if we commit a mortal sin we cut ourselves off from God. This is a greater tragedy. Jesus teaches our generation of electronics a valuable lesson today. Many times our electronics are the very possessions that we commit mortal sin with or we get the ideas to commit mortal sin from these possessions. “Everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” We must totally and completely give all to Jesus. We cannot sit on the fence or have one foot in and one foot out. I often play this game with our Lord, but I know with His grace I will one day have the courage to be all in!
Today’s challenge: Take a week long break from an electronic that is leading you away from God and into sin.
Become a saint!
Christian YOLO
“Everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Lk 14:25-33
Humbly submit your will to God (thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
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