Gospel | Luke 14:25-33 (with Tom Gastil)

Opening Song:
I’ll Follow You by Jonathan Traylor

Lyrics:
I cannot see what tomorrow will bring
But I know You are with me
I do not know what the future will hold
But You'll never forsake me

All my days
You never left my side
Cloud by day
Fire by night

I'll follow You all of my life
I'll follow You all of my life
(I'll follow You all of my life)

I cannot win this battle on my own
I'm so glad You are for me
I've been in the fire but You brought out
No You'll never forsake me

Every step I take You've already been there
And every move I make You've seen it before
So I won't turn back now for You are with me
You have led me here so I will trust in the Lord

Passage:
Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Musical Reflection:
“Be Thou My Vision,” old Irish folk tune

Reflection Notes:
The hymn commonly known as “Be Thou My Vision” is set to the tune SLANE, which is an old Irish folk tune. It samples both major and minor tonalities, with a perfect balance between the two.

Prayer:
O Lord God, grant your people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.