Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C
September 4, 2016
Gospel: Lk 14:25-33
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned
and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating (1) 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 (2) 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 (3)
to ask for peace terms. In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce
all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”
http://www.usccb.org
The difficult words
(1)Jesus isn’t really asking us to hate anyone. He commands us to honor
our parents, and to love one another. He is saying that he has to come first in
our lives.
(2)The foundation of a building is a concrete slab
or basement upon which it is built.
(3)A delegation
is a group sent by a leader to talk for him to someone.
This week’s spotlight
The chasuble
When he celebrates the Mass, the priest wears a special outer vestment
called the "chasuble”. It is a large, sleeveless apron that slips on over
the head and hangs down over the chest and the back. The color of the chasuble
changes according to the liturgical season or feast; it can be green (Ordinary
Time), white (Easter and Christmas seasons), purple (Advent and Lent), or red
(feasts of the Holy Spirit and Martyrs).
Carrying one’s cross
Jesus carried the cross upon which he was crucified. He suffered death
to show us just how far he would go to demonstrate his love for us. For us
today, “to carry one's cross" means to make the choice to follow Jesus to
the end through love for him, even if we encounter difficulties. The cross is
also the sign announcing the glory of God. To follow Jesus Christ through love
by carrying one's cross is to be truly a sign of his resurrection.
Reflection
Preferring Jesus!
This Sunday's Gospel may surprise you a little. Is
Jesus telling us to hate our families? Of course not! Jesus himself loved his
family. He needed Mary and Joseph just as you need your family. Still, Jesus
did eventually have to leave home in order to call all people into the family
of God. One day, too, you will leave yours, but not right away; it’s not time
yet. For the moment, you are like the wise builder of the Gospel; you solidly
construct your foundations in your family, and when you are ready, good and
sturdy, you will have to listen to the words of Jesus. You will leave in order
to live your own life. Your family will always remain important, but Jesus
Christ calls you to a much bigger life, to join the family of men and women, to
love them like your own family. When you are ready!
Discussion questions
1.What does Jesus tell the people about giving their cares to God?
2.Who cannot be Jesus’ disciple?
3.What does Jesus tell his followers to give up?
After
receiving Holy Communion,
you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in
communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. Help us
to welcome the strength that comes from Jesus. May it enable us to follow him
more closely, and to love all our brothers and sisters. Amen.
This week…
Building foundations in the family
Pinpoint the elements in your
family that are foundations for the structure of your life - harmony between
brothers and sisters, praying together as a family, having meals together, the
love between your parents.
Growing into the
wider human family
Ask your parents to tell you about their choices in
life. Ask them about when they first left their parents’ homes, and how God
called them to enter as adults into the wider human family.
Crossword Puzzle
Source: usccb.org
- Magnifikid - sermons4kids.com – rclblectionary.com
–usccb.org/bible/readings-audio.cfm