From the Friars: Calculating the Cost

Before I was a friar I worked in construction and sometimes I had to do cost estimating. It is a challenge to consider all the factors necessary to complete a project. This very week there are several contractors who are working on bids for the new friary/office building for the shrine. Jesus himself speaks of this type of work in the Gospel for today as an example of how we calculate the cost of following Him. Do we have what is necessary build the tower, to be a faithful disciple? He gives us a hint when He says we must “hate“, meaning love less, our family and even our own life.

The three saints that we honor this weekend had what it takes to complete the project. They gave everything. They endured cruel persecution, torture and death itself rather than deny Jesus and His Church and worship false gods. It is a sad but very enlightening reality that of all the attacks against the Church in her 2,000 year history, nothing has been so successful in drawing people away from God as the false secularism of our present time.

How appealing it is to abandon Jesus and His Church by accepting the lie that religion doesn’t really matter, as long as one tries to do good, or whatever version of relativism the person may adopt. It offers an appearance of tolerance and moderation while hiding the avoidance of objective truth.

Once I saw a TV show that had a woman character who came across as very intelligent and reasonable. She was an atheist and stated (more or less), “I don’t believe, but that doesn’t make me a bad person.” Or someone might say, I don’t go to Mass, or I don’t pray, but that doesn’t make me a bad person. Yes it does, if it is culpable unbelief or disobedience.

To freely and knowingly choose to reject God and/or to refuse to follow His Commandments is exactly what it means to be a bad person.

Do we have what it takes to choose the Good and persevere to the end? Saints Alfio, Filadelfo, and Cirino did so, by God’s grace.

May we follow their example.

God bless you.

Fr. Peter