A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 16 – C

September 4, 2016

St. Luke 14:25-33 - 

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Commentary: We sit each Sunday in our comfortable pews and often give a token offering while praying for the poor and marginalized, the hungry and the homeless.  We leave our castles of worship for Sunday morning brunch.  Is there no cost to following Jesus?  Are we too comfortable in our faith? And what will you do about it this Sunday?

The Cost of Discipleship

25 Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, 26 “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. 33 So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 16 -C

Discipleship

What is discipleship, Jesus?

        Is it sitting piously in my pew

                at worship with folded hands?

Standing in solidarity

        with the marginalized

                in protest at a local government building?

What is discipleship, Jesus?

        Reciting “…born of the Virgin Mary…”

                while so many ‘Marys’ go hungry

                        unable to nurse their newborn?     

What is discipleship, Jesus?

        Respectfully clearing the Eucharistic Table

                or sharing bread at the local food pantry?

What is discipleship, Jesus?

        Praying “…Thy Kingdom come…”

                while politicians honor the middle class

                        never addressing poverty?

What is discipleship, Jesus?

        Burning the church’s mortgage,

                or burning with zeal for God’s justice?

What is discipleship, Jesus?

        A heart turned toward you?

                The art of compassion in daily life

                        for the least of these?

Copyright @A Poem a Sunday

May be used with permission

kennstorck@gmail.com