Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: September 7, 2025

Date: 23^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  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.”

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel reading for today from Luke recounts one of Jesus’ more baffling sermons because the translation says we are to “hate” and we know that Jesus told us we were to love even our enemies. What is going on? We see this sometimes in the messages of Jesus where He uses hyperbolic language to explain discipleship. Jesus’ admonition to those seeking to follow Him was that they must “love less” their family members than they love the LORD, than they love Christ. And Jesus goes on to tell us that seeking to walk with Christ as His disciples requires that we recognize the cost and that includes picking up our own crosses.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Where does my love for Christ stand in the priorities of my life? How much am I willing to dedicate to my discipleship? How much am I willing to give up?

Praying:

LORD, Jesus Christ, Son of God, our Savior, this day we lift our hearts to You in loving service as your disciples as we lovingly seek to bring others to You and to your transformative love. Send your Spirit to strengthen our resolve to love You by loving other and to serve You by serving others. As we seek to follow in your footsteps, let us remember the love of the Almighty Father from whom You were sent, the salvation that was won through You, and the Spirit in whom we live. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.