Readings
I - Wis. 9: 13-18
II - Phil. 9-10, 12-17
III - Lk. 14: 25-33
‘GIVE UP’, ‘TAKE UP’ AND FOLLOW JESUS
Choosing the eternal and the everlasting is wisdom though it is costing, is the crux of all the three readings of the day. In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the ‘giving up and the ‘taking up’ required for the radical following of Christ. Giving up our worldly ideas, emotional bonding, unnecessary attachments and escalated ego can only enable a person in taking up the daily cross that encounters in following the Lord. But it is worth enduring though as the first reading says, it seems to be worthless to the reasoning of the mortals. As Jesus says, a persons who builds a tower sits down and counts the cost and a king when encounters another stronger than him in a war, makes peace with him, in following the Lord, as Christians we are called to follow the life and teachings of Christ in ‘giving up’ and ‘taking up’ and that decision and choice is purely ours.
To run in parallel with the trends of the world is easy but not eternal; to swim with the current is cool but to go across demands courage; to ‘give up’ in order to ‘take up’ is costing but merits a blissful life with the Lord in the paradise. The decision is ours and the choice destines our life after our earthly existence. Determination to live for the Lord is wisdom and that destines our eternal life as well. Make right choices and make life meaningful and worthwhile. Let our mind and heart resonate with the prayer: “Lord Jesus, give me the wisdom and courage to make right choices in life”.
