In this Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 14:25-33), Jesus lists plainly three non-negotiables – three criteria that must be met or else you “cannot be my disciple.”
As it turns out, they match up closely to Maslow’s well known “hierarchy of needs.” And in fact, they illuminate that hierarchy in ways that Prof. Maslow, the atheist, couldn’t have appreciated.
In this week’s Pearls of the Interior Life, we look closer at that, as well as how to prepare for this Sunday’s Gospel and then carry it into the week.
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life
Postscript: Lk 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.”