The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Saint Francis of Assisi, religious

Readings from the Liturgy of the Word:
Job 9:1-12, 14-16
Psalm 10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15
Luke 9:57-62

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Who would ever want to follow Jesus after reading today’s gospel? To those who came to Him he did not hold back or mince words. He laid out the bare truth about what it meant to be a disciple and to many it most certainly scared them away.

Being a true follower meant giving all and not just parts of oneself, or just giving part of the time. It meant leaving family behind, having no place to live, and never looking back. Anything short of this was incomplete and meant that one could not be a true disciple. The message was harsh, but honest.

How does this apply to us today? Are we called to give all to our Lord? Are we asked to plunge forward and never look back? Certainly! And we should go forward with it without fear, dread or longing for other things as He is with us to sustain us.

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)