Sunday Gospel: Cost of Discipleship (September 7 2025)

Sunday Gospel & Reflection
September 7 2025

Gospel according to
Luke 14:25-33

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,
anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.”

Reflection:

Following Jesus is a costly commitment that demands putting Him first in every aspect of your life. This means loving Jesus so completely that your affection for everything and everyone else—including your family and even yourself—pales in comparison. This supreme love for Jesus is what allows you to endure hardship, sacrifice your own desires, and wholeheartedly serve God. It means fighting a profound spiritual war against evil by renouncing its enticements and choosing good, which is what taking up your cross truly means.

Count the Cost
Before you begin this journey, Jesus urges you to "count the cost." He uses two parables to illustrate this point: the tower builder and the warring king. Just as a tower builder who can't finish his project is ridiculed, a person who starts following Jesus without full commitment risks their faith crumbling. Similarly, a king who goes to war he can't win is foolish; this teaches that you must assess your readiness for the spiritual challenges ahead, acknowledging that your own strength isn't enough.

The Nature of True Faith
Ultimately, discipleship is an "all-in" commitment. This doesn't mean giving up everything to live in poverty, but rather a radical detachment from worldly possessions. A true disciple understands that everything they have belongs to God and must be used for His purposes.