Love the One Who Gave Us Our Loved Ones

Nov. 6: Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Calvin and Hobbes is always relevant—

Reading 1

Phil 2:12-18

My beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work. Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

But, even if I am poured out as a libation upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with all of you. In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.

Paul isn’t sure if he’s going to be executed soon (that’s what “poured out as a libation” refers to). But to him, it doesn’t matter. What matters is spreading the Gospel, around the world and from generation to generation. He’s happy to have participated in that evangelization to the Philippians, and now all he wants is that they continue his work.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

This is a Psalm Paul probably had on his mind as he was preparing for execution. The most important thing is to be with God, and bring as many souls with us as we can.

Alleluia

1 Pt 4:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,
for the Spirit of God rests upon you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Anyone who promises becoming Christian should be easy isn’t talking about any kind of Christianity spoken about in the Bible.

Gospel

Lk 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, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple."

This passage seems to be a collection of sayings (most of which are unique to Luke), rather than a coherent speech. They’re grouped together because they focus on the total dedication necessary for a disciple of Jesus. One message that’s not unique¹ is the part about “hating” your father and mother, etc.

Jesus isn’t saying we shouldn’t love our parents or kids; that would contradict just about everything else Jesus says elsewhere. He wants us to love our family and friends and everyone.

He also wants us to love the One who gave them to us. God is the one who put those people in our lives, who gave us life itself. Our gratitude should go back to the source of everything. And in that gratitude and love, that’s where we’ll end up, too.

1. Mt 10:37 — We talked about Matthew’s version way back in July.