GOSPEL READING
THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
To be a Disciple: Lk 14,25-35
Read through this second part of the chapter: how is it made up? What is the refrain? We can note that all but the last two verses of this passage are unique to Luke,
As we saw with 13,22, so here too there is continuity through from the preceeding parable of the banquet, 14-15-24. How are the passages related?
What is Luke doing by changing the audience? We have seen the stress on the size of the crowds before in 12,1.
Verses 26 and 27 therefore lie down the conditions for discipleship. What does "hate" mean in this context? See also 9,23.
Verses 28-30 give the makes the point about building a tower. Consider the echoes of Genesis 11,4.
Verses 31-32 uses the example of a king and an army. What is the message of these two illustrations?
Jesus draws his conclusion in verse 33. See 12,33-34.
Finally, verse 34-35 use the image of salt also used by the other two evangelists (Mt 5,13 and Mk 9,49). Each evangelist however uses it in a different way. Why has Luke placed it here? (It may help to check a number of translations). What line is unique to him?
Now have a look at my response.
The Sunday Gospel
All but the last two verses of this passage are read on the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time. The comments about salt are omitted presumably because they are found in both Matthew and Mark, but that is unfortunate as we have seen.
The Old Testament reading is taken from the Wisdom of Solomon and is the climax of Solomon's great prayer for wisdom, Wis 9,1-18. This is a more appropriate passage from the book compared with our last encounter with it on the 19th Sunday. Read the wisdom prayer therefore as background for our reading of the Gospel. Look too at the psalm.
Worth noting as well is that this Sunday gives the only reading of St Paul's letter to Philemon. It's a short letter which tells us much about the early Christian community and also reflects the needs of our communities today.
We are now ready to move on to our overview of chapter 15.