Scripture Scribbles: September 4, 2022

the Gospel

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.”

the devotion

If Jesus Christ is not in the first place, nothing is in the right place. Following Jesus is not an easy, comfortable road to travel. The journey is painstakingly difficult, yet it is the only path for me to find complete wholeness and healing. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Too willing I am to abandon or exchange my cross, but only embracing my custom-made cross will lead to inner peace and true freedom.

“Anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” I am still clinging tenaciously to my possessions: my heart, my life, my will, guarding my delicate heart to avoid hurt, attempting to control my life, others, and circumstances to circumvent pain. The Catechism (CCC2015) reminds us that, “The way of perfection passes by way of the cross,” and Christopher West confirms, “The cross has the power to heal, restore, purify, and transform.”

Jesus, help me to entrust my heart, life, and will to you, and, “surrender my naked heart to the fire of your all-penetrating glance” (Hans Urs von Balthasar). In entirely giving of and opening myself to you, I will receive your divine love and abundant grace which will heal all brokenness.

Repairing the human heart, betrayed and wounded by the sins of self and others, is an excruciatingly painful process. Exposing wounds and breaking free of unhealthy attachments entails suffering (the cross), but healing and restoration (the resurrection) ultimately ensues.

Today’s devotion was written by Karen Molvar