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First Reading - Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm - Psalm 1:1–6

Second Reading - Philemon 1-21

Gospel - Luke 14:25-35

Jesus gets right to the point—as he always does. The cost of being his disciples is renouncing (v33) all the things of this life that many expect God owes them. What if following Jesus costs us a parent or a spouse or a child? Would we pay such a high price? It may be a cross we must bear.

Many begin well the life of faith only to discover later that there is a price. They had not counted on it costing so much to believe. When they turn their backs on God, in favor of the so-called “blessings” of this life, the flavor and the preservative power of the salty life they had once begun has now been lost. Their lives are forfeit, not even suitable for the worst of places.

First Reading - Ezekiel 34:11–24

Psalm - Psalm 119:169–176

Second Reading - 1 Timothy 1:5–11, 12–17

Gospel - Luke 15:1–10

Never give up on one of the flock. They may seem like a lost cause but the Good Shepherd specializes in such sheep. The irony of the passage is that Jesus was eating with not only tax collectors but other sinners too. It is easy to see that these sinners include Pharisees and Scribes. Yet the collection of sinners includes us as well. Thank God that Jesus also dines with us, offering himself as the meal of salvation.

First Reading - Amos 8:4–7

Psalm - Psalm 113:1–9

Second Reading - 1 Timothy 2:1–15

Gospel - Luke 16:1–15

What do you have? Is it just a little, or a great deal, or an amount somewhere between? Unfortunately, we stop with the counting. We stop when we realize we only have a little, or that we have enough, or that we desire more. But this is not the place to stop. Instead, however much we have, we should continue with prayerful consideration of what God wants us to do with our little lot. Before you stop, consider how God is calling you to be faithful with what riches he has given you.

First Reading - Amos 6:1–7

Psalm - Psalm 146:1–10

Second Reading - 1 Timothy 3:1–13

Gospel - Luke 16:19–31

The things of this earth that people accumulate for themselves are not a sign of God’s favor—despite what some preachers proclaim. The increase of these material goods does folks no eternal good. Yet the increase of belief in what Moses and the prophets taught leads to faith in Christ who was raised from the dead. If they will not hear and believe the bad news of the law, they will not hear and believe the good news of the resurrected Christ.