23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

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?

Lk 14:25-33

THE CROSS

The cross was a form capital punishment. It was a painful way to die. It was said that sometimes they had to cut off the tongue of crucified people in order to silence them. It was considered so degrading that death by crucifixion was forbidden for a Roman citizen.

Crucifixion was something that the audience of Jesus was familiar with. Josephus, the Jewish historian reports:

Following the death of Herod in 4 B.C.E. there were outbreaks of revolt throughout Judea. Varus, the Roman legate of Syria took two legions and brutally pacified the country, particularly in Galilee. “Upon this, Varus sent a part of his army into the country, to seek out those that had been the authors of the revolt; and when they were discovered, he punished some of them that were most guilty, and some he dismissed: now the number of those that were crucified on this account were two thousand.”

LESSON: COUNTING THE COST

About three years ago I joined an educational tour to Thailand and Singapore. We went to see secondary schools and universities. We also visited places of cultural interest. We were green with envy at a Marist-run school in Singapore. Because it enjoyed government support, the facilities were simply fantastic. I particularly admired their computer labs. We planned for another educational tour in three years’ time. But when the exchange rate dropped to 60 to a dollar, we abandoned the idea altogether. We counted the cost and we decided that many would not be able to afford it.

About ten years ago, the World Youth Day was to be celebrated. The seminarians in our seminary were allowed to go if they want to. A seminarian decided to join this celebration. But the problem was money. He counted the cost. The problem was the money. Where would he get it? His parents couldn’t afford it. Did he give up? No. He thought of ways to raise the money. One of the things he did was to go to our religious communities and seek financial support. He succeeded in raising the required amount and joined the World Youth Day. He counted the cost and found out he couldn’t afford it. But he did not give up. He undertook several fund raising activities and was able to meet the cost.

Counting the cost and meeting the cost is not just about money.

It is taking important things in life serously. Take marriage, for example. I used to hear the old folks say thing about marriage: “It’s not like eating a handful of rice and when you find out it’s hot you, vomit it out of your mouth.” Marriage is something important and because it is important you take it seriously.

Let’s count the cost of marriage.

Can you give up your freedom and independence? When you are single, you base your decision on how that decision will affect you. When you are married and have a family, you’ll have to take into consideration how your decisions and actions will affect your spouse and children. We had a driver who used to drive to the point of recklessness at times. But when he got married and had children, he became more careful. He explained that he still had children to raise.

Pinagsawaan mo na ba ang iyong pagka-binata o pagka-dalaga? When you are young and single, you can spend many hours with your barkada. But when you are married, you can’t be with your barkada as often and as long as you like. I remember a young mother carrying her sick child to a basketball league. She was looking for her husband. And rightly so. He was already a father. His child was very sick. His place was not among his barkada enjoying a basketball competition. His place was with his child. He should probably have already brought his child to the hospital.

Like marriage, religious life and priesthood is important and because it is important you take it seriously. Let’s count the cost of priesthood and religious life.

When I was in fourth grade I remember I and my friend talking about what we would want to become when we grew up. I don’t remember anymore what he said. But I distinctly remember answering that I wanted to become a priest or an astronomer. I was fascinated by the stars and the galaxies. I still am. Becoming a priest meant giving up that dream of becoming an astronomer. Someone may say becoming an astronomer is just a child’s dream. It’s never meant to become a reality. Still, becoming a priest meant giving up other possibilities in life, including astronomy. I counted the cost. I willingly paid the price. I have become a priest. I still am and hope to remain one until my death.

The Christian life of a layman and a laywoman is important, too. And because it is important you have to take it seriously. Let’s count the cost of living one’s faith today.

One of the items that Filipinos abroad spend much on is phone bills. This is easy to understand. As a people our happiness does not lie on material things. Our happiness lies in the midst of our family and friends. Family and friends are important. That is why we feel the need of keeping in touch with our family and friends. And that is why we are willing to spend so much money on overseas telephone calls and text messages.

If God is important to us, then we need to keep in touch with him. If God is important to us, then we are willing to pay the price of keeping in touch. What is the price of keeping in touch?

First, are you willing to give your time to God in prayer? I am not only talking about giving time to Sunday Mass. I am talking about dedicating some time to prayer. And by prayer, I do not primarily mean asking God for our needs. I am talking about sharing what is in your heart and what is in your mind with him. And regarding time, I am talking about 10 minutes a day.

Second, are you willing to buy a bible or at least the New Testament and then during your daily prayer time, spend 5 minutes in reading God’s word and then the next 5 minutes to talking to God?

The cost of living one’s faith today is not limited to giving time to prayer. There are many more things. But if we are unable to give just 10 minutes of our time to read his Word and to pray to him, will we be able to do other things for him which are more difficult?


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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.