Charles Borromeo (1538–1584), nephew of a pope, spent himself as Archbishop of Milan on the reform the Council of Trent had asked: seminaries, visitation, catechesis, and care in plague. He lived simply in the midst of high office. His memorial is 4 November. Reform, for him, was not a slogan but a visitation of parishes. Ask today for shepherds who will go into the streets when the city is afraid, and for a reform that begins in the bishop’s own house.
Original – Prayer on Fire.
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Gospel
Mass Lectionary · Gospel
Luke 14:25–33
Now great crowds traveled with him. And turning around, he said to them:
“If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and yes, even his own life, he is not able to be my disciple.
And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me, is not able to be my disciple.
For who among you, wanting to build a tower, would not first sit down and determine the costs that are required, to see if he has the means to complete it?
Otherwise, after he will have laid the foundation and not been able to finish it, everyone who sees it may begin to mock him,
saying: ‘This man began to build what he was not able to finish.’
Or, what king, advancing to engage in war against another king, would not first sit down and consider whether he may be able, with ten thousand, to meet one who comes against him with twenty thousand?
If not, then while the other is still far away, sending a delegation, he would ask him for terms of peace.
Therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all that he possesses is not able to be my disciple.
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Prayer on Fire Gospel Lesson
Great crowds are going with him. He turns and says no one can be his disciple who does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life. Whoever does not bear his own cross cannot be his disciple. Count the cost. A tower unfinished is a mockery. A king outnumbered seeks terms. So whoever does not renounce all that he has cannot be his disciple.
Where this sits
The feast of Charles Borromeo reads the cost. The crowd is large. He thins it before it mistakes following for company.
The cost
Hate here is not cruelty. It is the refusal to let any other claim outrank him. The cross is not a metaphor he will explain later. It is the shape of the road. The tower and the king say the same thing. Do not start what you have not counted.
What to take
A crowd is not a discipleship. Following him costs the other claims, including the claim of your own life.
Original – Prayer on Fire
Gospel of the Day · Text: Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV) · Mass Lectionary · Gospel
The Mass of Saint Charles Borromeo may also use this Gospel. (John 10:11–16)
Optional memorial Gospel
John 10:11–16
I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd gives his life for his sheep.
But the hired hand, and whoever is not a shepherd, to whom the sheep do not belong, he sees the wolf approaching, and he departs from the sheep and flees. And the wolf ravages and scatters the sheep.
And the hired hand flees, because he is a hired hand and there is no concern for the sheep within him.
I am the good Shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me,
just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for my sheep.
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold, and I must lead them. They shall hear my voice, and there shall be one sheepfold and one shepherd.
Not the weekday Gospel of the day · Text: Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV) · John 10:11–16
