First, Count the Cost | iPray with the Gospel

“Which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish.’”

Luke 14:25-33

We are now at the beginning of the new academic year. This coming year will involve lots of classes and study and works and papers… and the norms of our ‘plan of life’… So many things! That is why it’s so important to do what Jesus suggests today in the Gospel, “sit down and count the cost”. ‘Well begun is half done’, says the proverb. We need to plan the year right now, at the beginning. Your timetable, your study, your plan of life. This building is different for each person. There is no standard plan for everyone.

A football player has a training plan. He knows the exercises he has to practise more, which are different from other football players. He knows that some days he has to train particular groups of muscles and rest others. The success of the whole season depends on his training plan.

Last year, Bayern Munich was playing against Wolfsburg. Lewandowski was on the bench during the first half whilst his team was losing 1-0. He started playing in the second half. In 6 minutes he scored the first goal. 58 seconds later he created the second. Two minutes later, the third. Another two minutes on and he volleyed home a fourth. It took him three more minutes to add his fifth, with a brilliant acrobatic volley. When asked afterwards about his performance he just said that he had prepared for that match as always, ‘conscientiously’.

How important is the preparation before the game! Let’s plan our academic year conscientiously as well. My timetable for study, for my plan of life (my prayer, Holy Mass, spiritual reading…), time for leisure as well and sport… Mary, my Mother, I entrust to your intercession the new academic year that we now begin.