(Wis.9:13-18b; Ps.90:1,3-6,12-14,17; Phlm.1:9-10,12-17; Lk.14:25-33) "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." The wisdom of the cross, that blessed necessity for every Christian's life. What does it teach us? How does it call us to act? Its wisdom is not of this earth, for the "corruptible body burdens the soul," but the counsel of the "Holy Spirit from on high" brings the freedom to be sons of God. This wisdom can only be found by knowing we are but dust and renouncing all things of dust to serve the living and true God. "Who can know God's counsel, or who can conceive what the Lord intends?" our first reading from the Book of Wisdom inquires of us. Indeed, things before our eyes, things of this earth, "we find with difficulty," so who can understand things of heaven? How shall we attain the vision of God, of whom our psalm states, "A thousand years in your sight, are as yesterday, now that it is passed, or as a watch in the night"? How can we who wilt and fade "like the changing grass" come to the surpassing knowledge our Lord possesses? Jesus answers the question. He turns to the crowds who follow Him, who are excited by His presence but unaware of the demands made upon every Christian's life, and He teaches them this wisdom that is of God. It is His essential lesson: Be prepared to give up all things for the sake of the kingdom. Put nothing before your worship of God. Renounce all your possessions and be ready to die for Him – only then can you approach the glory He brings to this earth. Only by the wisdom of His cross will you find the kingdom of God. For indeed "the earthen shelter" and all its concerns weigh down the mind, weigh down the spirit, and keep it from attaining to God; they must therefore be left behind to find the freedom of sons of the Most High. The Lord comes to "teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart." It is this teaching Paul seeks to impart to Philemon as he asks him to forgive the slave that has wronged him and accept him back "forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother." This same forgiveness, which is divine not earthly, is that which is asked of us all by the Lord. For so we have been forgiven by Him, so we who were sinful slaves have been made his brother… and so we must do the same for others. It is no longer the mind of man by which we judge but the mind of God, and the grace of this wisdom we gain only by carrying our cross. It is this which shapes us in His image, which imparts to us His wisdom – and by this the work of our hands shall prosper. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Open Air" from Thoroughfare, seventh album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, help us to renounce all our possessions that we might know your counsel and follow your Son. YHWH, send your Holy Spirit from on high that our paths might be made straight, that we might walk the way of the Cross and so find the grace we need to be disciples of Jesus and so enter your presence. Without such kindness toward us, we shall be lost, distracted by the vain things of this dying earth. We are but dust, dear LORD, passing like the changing grass, and our hearts are often set on the passing things around us. Teach us to renounce our possessions, help us to know it is in this true freedom lies… that walking the way of worldly concerns will lead us only to death but laying down our lives with your Son we shall come to glory. Let us not be so foolish as to think we shall be blessed otherwise. Freely let us offer all we have to you, LORD; then you shall indeed prosper the work of our hands. And we shall go from being slaves of the flesh to dwelling as your beloved in the age that does not pass away.