“Great crowds were traveling with Jesus.” (Luke 14:25)

For some reason, that little sentence stood out to me this morning. Great crowds were following Jesus, but then He turned around and challenged them to think about what it really meant to follow Him. He told them to sit down and calculate the cost.

That made me wonder about those crowds. Jesus knew their hearts. I wonder how many were really there to follow Him and how many were just there to see what He might do next. Maybe some were just looking for a show.

And that made me think about my own faith journey.

There was a time in my life when I went to church simply because it was expected of me. It was what you did on Sunday. I wasn’t necessarily thinking about what it meant to follow Jesus. I was just another person in the crowd, going through the motions.

But here’s the thing. I wonder how often I still do that today.

I can say my prayers, go to Mass, listen to a Catholic podcast, or read something about my faith. Those are all good things, but am I really engaging with God? Or am I sometimes just checking another box? Am I willing to sacrifice a little of my time, put aside the distractions, and actually sit with Jesus?

I know I struggle with that sometimes.

And that brings me back to Jesus telling the crowd to sit down and calculate the cost. When I first read that, I thought, well, I kind of do that on my annual retreat. I step away from everything, spend time with God, and take a good look at where I am in my faith.

But then I got to thinking… once a year isn’t enough, is it?

Retreats are wonderful, but not everyone has that opportunity. And even for those of us who do, a lot can happen in a year. Our faith can get a little stale if we’re not careful.

Maybe Jesus is reminding me that I need to pause and consider what it means to follow Him more often. Not just on retreats, not just on Sundays, but in my everyday life.

And I think today’s other readings help us with that.

The psalm reminds us, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” And St. Paul tells us that we are to shine like lights in the world, even in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.

But how can we shine like lights if we’re just going through the motions?

I know I struggle with pride and stubbornness. Sometimes I get so caught up in my own opinions that I forget to love the people who see things differently. Maybe that’s one of the crosses Jesus is asking me to carry. To put people ahead of my opinions, even when I believe I’m right.

So my prayer today is simple.

Lord, You are my light and my salvation. Help me stop and listen to You. Help me be intentional about spending time with You, not just checking a box. Show me the cross You want me to carry today, and give me the perseverance to carry it. Through Your grace, help me be a light to others.

Are you really making time to be with Jesus, or are you sometimes just going through the motions?

I pray you get the graces you need today.

Keep up the good fight.

I’m praying for you. Please pray for me.

Scripture: Philippians 2:12–18 | Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14 | Luke 14:25–33