Reflection for September 7, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 14:25-33

Gospel: Luke 14:25-33

Great crowds were travelling 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.”

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Reflection:

Have you already watched or listened to a life testimony about Jesus? Most of these testimonies speak of the countless blessings people have received from the Lord. Yet, woven into these stories are also their sufferings and crosses—and how Jesus faithfully helped them carry these burdens. 

In our Gospel today, Jesus speaks directly to us about the reality of suffering and the crosses that come with following Him. He tells us: “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” These words are not meant to discourage, but to awaken us to the true cost—and the deeper joy—of authentic discipleship. 

To follow Jesus is to be ready to carry our own crosses and endure our share of trials. It is in these very struggles that we experience the closest companionship with Him. If we believe that following Christ means living only in comfort—as though life is a bed of roses—we miss the deeper truth: Jesus walks with us most intimately when we bear our crosses for His sake. 

True discipleship in Christ is not measured by ease or blessings alone, but by our willingness to suffer for Him, to carry our cross for Him, and even to lay down our very lives so that others may encounter His saving love. This is the essence of what it means to be a true follower of Jesus.

In the silence of our hearts, let us pause and reflect on our journey with the Lord. Do we always pray to the Lord to help us carry our cross? - Marino J. Dasmarinas