6 November 2024 - Only By Grace Reflections

#OnlyByGraceReflections #CFC #CouplesforChrist

NOTE: Please click the Subscribe key on YouTube and press the black notification bell to receive the daily reflections. Or, open in YouTube for easy access. View and Like. Thank you.

TOPIC: DOES JESUS REQUIRE TO HATE OUR FATHER AND MOTHER, WIFE AND CHILDREN, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND EVEN OUR OWN LIFE, TO BE HIS DISCIPLE?

First Reading: Philippians 2: 12-18
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 27: 1, 4, 13-14
Alleluia: First Peter 4: 14
Gospel: Luke 14: 25-33

It is difficult to be a disciple of Christ because it is difficult to decide and commit that God is first. There will always be the temptation to conform the will of God to the weakness of man. Man will be the one to dictate the limits of God's requirements and standards. This should not be the case.

The truth is it can be done. We can be followers of Christ. To pursue this, Pope St John Paul the Great advises that: We must abandon ourselves to the power of the Spirit, who is able to infuse light and especially love for Christ; we must open ourselves to the inner fascination that Jesus works in the hearts of those who aspire to authenticity, while fleeing from half measures. This is certainly difficult for human beings, but it becomes possible with the grace of God. On the other hand, if following Christ means carrying the Cross each day, the latter in turn, is the tree of life leading to the resurrection.

This is the 1655th installment of our CFC contemplation series focusing on the daily liturgical readings.

[NOTE: Let us listen to our brother Arnel Santos, a member of the CFC Board of Elders and Mission Head for Asia, as he brings us today's reflection.

All the regular reflections are between 3-7 minutes long, enough time for us to ponder what God's message is for us individually and to pray that we may live them out in our lives. This video is also available on Couples for Christ’s Facebook page. In You Tube, just type ONLY BY GRACE REFLECTIONS]