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I cannot go on living my life without Christ now, but I do remember a time when I did. It was a somewhat dreary existence with momentary flashes of happiness and excitement. All there really was to look forward to was sinful pleasures which slowly ate away one’s morality draining away life itself. And every time I mustered the strength and courage to climb out of the pit, I was pulled back it. It was a dark, bleak world where fear and anxiety ruled the day. Only the strong survive or do they really?

That all changed when I entered into a relationship with my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. For just knowing about him is not enough, it is to enter into deep personal relationship with Him. And all I needed to do was to come to Him with a yearning desire to know Him. He embraced me in my brokenness. Nothing I did in the past mattered to Him. He loved me into a new existence, I was cleansed and set free. Constant joy and peace are the fruits of my relationship with my saviour.

Dear Lord Jesus, let Your abundant love for me overflow from my heart to all who know You not. Let me lead them first into the knowledge of You and thereafter into the same loving relationship with You. Amen

First reading
Philippians 3:3-8

We are the real people of the circumcision, we who worship in accordance with the Spirit of God; we have our own glory from Christ Jesus without having to rely on a physical operation. If it came to relying on physical evidence, I should be fully qualified myself. Take any man who thinks he can rely on what is physical: I am even better qualified. I was born of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrew parents, and I was circumcised when I was eight days old. As for the Law, I was a Pharisee; as for working for religion, I was a persecutor of the Church; as far as the Law can make you perfect, I was faultless. But because of Christ, I have come to consider all these advantages that I had as disadvantages. Not only that, but I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Gospel
Luke 15:1-10

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:
  ‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.
  ‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’

How foolish was I Lord, that I thought I could serve You on my own terms. You the maker of Heaven and of earth, You who made me and gave me all that I have. Everything good I have fashioned was with the tools and materials You provided. And with Your guiding Spirit. It was You who blessed me with my family Lord. I can create nothing on my own and therefore I own nothing.

All my possessions are from You O Lord my God. Why then do I behave the way I do? Why do I give excuses for the selfish choices I make?

Heavenly Father You have been patient and merciful with me. Never once had You forced Your Will upon me but would gently lead me on when I placed my tiny hand in Yours. There is no greater joy than in serving You O Lord. There is no greater power than when my will is in union with Yours.

Lord Jesus I gladly bear my cross to follow You. Help me in the moments it gets too heavy and a little overwhelming. I know You will never abandon me. For great is Your love for me! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen

First reading
Philippians 2:12-18

My dear friends, continue to do as I tell you, as you always have; not only as you did when I was there with you, but even more now that I am no longer there; and work for your salvation ‘in fear and trembling.’ It is God, for his own loving purpose, who puts both the will and the action into you. Do all that has to be done without complaining or arguing and then you will be innocent and genuine, perfect children of God among a deceitful and underhand brood, and you will shine in the world like bright stars because you are offering it the word of life. This would give me something to be proud of for the Day of Christ, and would mean that I had not run in the race and exhausted myself for nothing. And then, if my blood has to be shed as part of your own sacrifice and offering-which is your faith I shall still be happy and rejoice with all of you, and you must be just as happy and rejoice with me.

Gospel
Luke 14:25-33

Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and spoke to them. ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
‘And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start making fun of him and saying, “Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish.” Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’