23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Sunday, Sept 4, 2022

First Reading: Wisdom 9:13-18
Psalm #90 R:Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Second Reading: Philemon 9b-10, 12-17
Gospel Acclamation Verse: Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statues/
Gospel: Luke 14: 25-33
Theme:  Choosing to Follow Jesus

Commentary by Jane Prini

Have you ever had to choose between two good things to buy? Maybe you only had the money for one of them? How do you decide which one to purchase? It would mean leaving one at the store and bringing the other home. There was a cost so you could have that item. Let’s think about ‘cost’.

Cost doesn’t always have to do with money. If you wanted to learn to play piano, you would have to purchase a piano, perhaps pay for a teacher, take the time to go to lessons and to practice between them. Really good piano players spend hours and hours practicing. You would have to give up some of your free time to do this. If playing the piano was important to you, you would consider the cost of all this and decide it was worth it.    

Lets really break down the cost of something that could be wonderful, but we’d really need to think about the full cost before choosing. Perhaps you really wanted a pet. First you would have to choose the type of pet (dog, cat,…). Would you pay the full amount or some of it with your own money? Would you be willing to do chores around the house and neighbourhood to get the money you needed?

For this example lets say you choose a puppy. That puppy will need food, treats, and supplies, like a collar, a dog bed and to visit the vet regularly. You would need to take your puppy on walks at least once a day even when it is really hot or really cold outside. You would need to potty train it and to clean up after it when it had accidents and on walks, brush and clean it’s fur and attend to it every day. Owning a pet we love can be wonderful, but it comes at a cost of money, time, effort, and sometimes even sacrificing what we want, to make sure the dog is safe and cared for. 

In our Gospel reading today, Jesus talked about something even more wonderful and amazing that also has a cost. Jesus told his disciples (and us), that if we want to follow him, we would need to consider the cost. He told two short stories about people who had to consider the cost of what they were about to do before doing it. One was building a home; was there enough money to complete it? The other was fighting a war; would it be better to come to a peaceful solution rather than fight? 

Being Jesus’ follower is an important and special job, but Jesus wants us to know there is also a cost to consider. He wants his followers to make him most important in their lives, even more important than family and friends. He wants us to know that people might make fun of us and even hurt us just because we are his followers. He wants us to know that it won’t be easy, but it is always the very best thing we could do for ourselves. He tells us that following him will mean carrying our own cross, just as he did. May you choose to be a follower of Jesus. 

Discussion Starters: (Choose one or more of these after reading today’s scripture readings)

1. What do you think would be wonderful (or some reasons) about being Jesus’ follower?
2. Share a time when you had to make a choice between buying two wonderful things you wanted. How did you choose? Which one did you choose?

Prayer for Families:  Heavenly Father, it’s easy to say that we want to follow Jesus, but it isn’t always easy to do. Help us to choose to follow Jesus, whatever the cost. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. AMEN

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