Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time—Year C

Lectio

    Luke 14:25–33

Meditatio

“… be my disciple.”

    In today’s Gospel, Saint Luke tells us that great crowds were traveling with Jesus. His teaching, demeanor, and miracles attracted them. This, however, did not make them his disciples. Jesus wants to clarify for them what it means to be his disciple. He warns that his disciples “hate” their families and even their own lives. This sounds harsh to our ears, but in Jesus’ culture, overstatement was a way to get the point across. Jesus’ disciples must love him more than they love their families and even their lives. They must renounce their possessions and carry their cross. His disciples must be ready to choose Jesus over anyone or anything.

    It is true that we are Jesus’ disciples. However, his words can challenge us to consider how committed we are to him. Following Jesus is not a matter of routine, nor is it a dry following of rules. It is not even suffering for the sake of suffering. It is loving Jesus more than we love everyone and everything else. This might seem like a tall order, almost impossible for us to fill. Yes, we love Jesus, but can we love Jesus more than we love all else? Yes we can, with God’s help … and God longs to do this! We learn to love Jesus gradually. The Holy Spirit accompanies us and bestows on us the graces we need for this journey in love. We only love someone whom we know … not just know about. It is wonderful to get to know Jesus more intimately. Simple things can help us love Jesus more: prayerful pondering of the New Testament, honest conversations with him, even just quietly being together. We grow in loving intimacy with Jesus every time we share our joys and sorrows with him, every time we make choices, even difficult ones, based on our love for him. Gradually we are transformed so that we love everyone and everything in him. Jesus has become the center of our hearts. We are truly his disciples.

Oratio

    Jesus, your description of a disciple causes me to be afraid. Will I ever be able to love you more than I love anyone or anything else? I want to! I do love you! You are so lovable! But I am sometimes weak, selfish, preoccupied with unimportant things. Please help me! I want to spend quality time with you, my dearest Friend, conversing openly and confidently—speaking and listening to you. Send the Holy Spirit to transform my heart so that gradually I will love you as you deserve and love everyone and everything in you.

Contemplatio

    I love you, Jesus; increase my love for you.

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ORDINARY GRACE Weeks 18–34: Daily Gospel Reflections (By the Daughters of St. Paul)