Prayer:
O Jesus, help me to persevere until the finish line.
Imagination:
Picture Jesus teaching the crowds.
Context:
Jesus is dealing here with enthusiastic disciples who cannot see the tremendous hardships that lie ahead. So, Jesus gives two examples which entail great difficulties. A farmer needs a tower for his grain, but the extensive foundation is costly. A king must wage war but has fewer soldiers than the other king.
Because of difficulties, the disciple might turn away and lose the kingdom. Jesus wants his determination to be firm.
Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud.)
Thoughts: (Read all. Ponder the ones that attract you.)
- Jesus says that both the farmer and the king must “sit down.” Their decision is momentous and they cannot rush in.
- Their present situation (outside of the Kingdom) is not good. However, their second state (abandoning discipleship) would be even worse.
- Jesus invites all to discipleship. He wants a mature decision that sees the costs.
- The farmer has to find more resources. The king must find more men.
- The disciples’ commitment must be complete, total, creative and persevering.
- More than any other, this parable unveils the cost and sacrifice of discipleship.
Affections: (When one touches your heart, use your own words.)
- Lord, I have been a superficial disciple, unaware of what is involved.
- Let me sit down and consider the depth of my commitment.
- No longer will I leave my spiritual tasks unfinished and my spiritual wars unfought.
- I will rise up from my table of prayer with renewed commitment.
- You will join me and say, “Let us begin again.”
Resolutions: (Possibly you might want to make your own.)
+ I will see clearly my failures in being a disciple.
+ I will ask for unbounded hope that I can complete the tasks.
Thought for the Day: (To recall your meditation.)
The farmer and the king had to sit down.