For all our supposed sophistication these days we apparently are not very good at estimating what things will cost us. We are so accustomed to plunging into debt and living beyond our means that perhaps Jesus' warning about the cost of discipleship has become somewhat incomprehensible to us. The scriptures today remind us that there is a cost to everything. Every "yes" we say to one thing entails saying "no" to several other things, often good and worthwhile things. Jesus is clear that the cost of discipleship is putting God before every other person and thing in our life. We have become very comfortable with trying to live in a virtual world where we can have everything we want when we want it. The only problem is it is only a virtual world and not the real world in which we have to live!

In the gospel Jesus is saying that all the relationships we have and all the possessions we have accumulated are good and beautiful if we keep them in perspective, if they can serve to remind us of God's unfathomable love for us. Otherwise they are just useless and meaningless trinkets and distractions from what is truly important.

With God's grace, may we recommit to paying whatever the cost is of being a disciple, of truly following Jesus.