Romans 18:8-10, Psalm 112:1-2, 4-5 & 9, Luke 14:25-33
Romans 18:8-10
My Beloved, Your word proclaims that God is love and those who live in love live in God and God lives in him. Here St, Paul tells us that we must owe no one anything except love. He who loves his neighbor will do nothing to hurt him in any way. If I love, I will never be inclined to wrong anyone or wound them in any way. Where there is love there is life.
Psalm 112:1-2, 4-5 & 9
My Beloved, those who love You and follow Your law of love will lack no good thing. He will find it a joy to obey Your will for Your Word is true and Your will is not burdensome. You have said that Your yoke is sweet and its burden light, for the yoke is the yoke of Your love which unites us with You and with each other.
How true and indeed how pleasing are Your assurances about the children of those who love and honor You. They are a blessing and Your hand is always raised in protection over them.
My beloved, the poor are those who are in need and that need is not always for money but a need for You. My mission is to fill that need by bringing You and Your message of love to them, for in You are found riches beyond all imagining.
Luke 14:25-33
My Beloved, we read here that large crowds were walking with You. Each one had their own reasons for following You and perhaps not all understood the cost of discipleship. You enlighten them and You don't sweeten the message or dilute it to make it more acceptable You speak the truth for You are Truth. If anyone wants to come to You they must first divest themselves of everything that can hinder them from truly belonging to You. We must not cling to any created thing. There are no half measures. We must be prepared to give up every attachment to people or things that would hinder us from entering into a complete union with You.
"Whoever does not follow me, carrying his own cross cannot be my disciple."
We do not decide to follow You and at the first obstacle or hurdle give up because we have discovered that we did not have the courage and the determination to take the narrow path. If we did we could become the butt of ridicule. Rather we must first understand that when we decide to offer our life in service to You, we must be prepared to do so without compromise. Unless I am prepared to imitate You in every way even to laying down my life, I am not worthy to be called Your disciple.
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