September 9, 2007
Pentecost XV

Cost of Discipleship

The message that we hear in today's Gospel, Jesus calling us to consider the cost of discipleship, is one that we many times forget or prefer not to look or pay attention to. When we do not consider the cost, then we are like a builder who makes no budget for a project and then encounters along the way the frustration for not being able to fulfill the goal.

When we consider the cost of following Jesus, then we will deepen our spiritual lives. We will hold in front of our prayers our need for discipleship, not membership in an institution. When we make discipleship the number one priority of our life as a church, we know that we will face resistance but we know that the outcome will, be what God intended for us.

We need to work primarily on our discipleship, then we will be prepared to minister to the community. It is only until we understand this for ourselves that we will be able to offer something to those who are seeking, those who are in need of God; when we do this we will begin to imitate Jesus. It is only when we come to this point of our life's journey that we are able to draw others to join us in our pilgrimage. We show them, not tell them, how our lives have been transformed by the gospel and by the sacraments we celebrate.

Let us hear this call of Jesus. Let us live with this reality and let us proclaim with our action that we are disciples of the living God.

Silito

Take a look at some of the previous messages from the Rector