A homily on Luke 14:25-33 : Finish ( 7-9-25)

A homily on Luke 14:25-33 showing that true discipleship is not about starting with excitement but finishing with patience and faith. ( 7-9-25)

Praise be to Jesus Christ 

Once there was a runner who joined a great race. At the beginning, he was full of energy, but midway he fell and hurt his leg. Everyone thought he would quit. The other runners went ahead, and the prize was lost. But the young man stood up slowly and began to run again, limping with pain. The crowd kept watching in silence, wondering if he would stop. Step by step, though late and wounded, he continued. Finally, when the other runners  were already finished, he crossed the finish line . The people who were still there stood up, clapped, and cheered him with tears in their eyes. Later, when asked why he did not stop, he said, “My country did not send me to start the race but to finish it.”

Life is not always about winning the first prize. Not everyone finishes first; some finish fast, some fall behind, some even leave halfway. But the true victory is to finish, and to finish, we need patience, courage, and faith.

In today’s Gospel Jesus says, “Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to finish it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him” (Luke 14:28–29).  The word that we need to notice here is “finish.” Anyone can begin with joy, but not all finish with faith.  However, a true disciple of Jesus, not only begins, but also stays faithful to the end.

We see this truth in family life.  As usual, every marriage begins with songs and laughter, with colourful and amazing clothes, smiling faces, photo-shoots, videos and lots of cheer, wishes and gifts. All these colours may come to an end with in few days or months.  And, those who have walked many years together know that the real beauty of marriage is not in the  colours of wedding day or the early joys, but in finishing together through sickness, poverty, misunderstandings and the struggles of everyday life. Love is tested on the long road that follows; in nights of confusion, in days when money runs short, when children bring tears, or when old age weakens the body. To finish a marriage well is to hold hands not only in joy, but also in pain, to forgive again and again, and to keep walking side by side till the last breath.

We see this same truth in religious life. The first days are often full of fire, with joy in prayer, eagerness in community, and a heart ready to give everything to God. But the real test comes later, when prayer feels dry, when community life demands patience, when obedience is heavy, and when love calls for hidden sacrifices. The real beauty of a religious vocation is not in the beginning, but in finishing the journey of vocation in faith.  And to finish religious life well is to remain faithful through dark nights, to rise again after failures, to keep loving when no one notices, and to walk with Christ all the way to the end. Saints show us this path.

The Old Testament shows us the same lesson. The people of Israel began their journey from Egypt with excitement, but many did not finish. They fell in the desert because they lost patience and faith (Numbers 14:22-23). Only those who trusted God, like Joshua and Caleb, reached the promised land (Numbers 14:30). That is why God told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

The saints also teach us this. Saint Paul at the end of his life said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). We need to note one point here that St. Paul did not say he won first place. He said he finished. Saint Teresa of Avila said, “What matters is not how we begin prayer but how we persevere till the end.”  

For us too, finishing may not mean great success in the eyes of the world. It may mean a mother continuing her prayers for her children, a father staying faithful to honest work, a sister serving silently in her convent. These are not first prizes, but they are real finishes.

The cross of Jesus is our greatest example. On the cross He did not give up. His last words were, “It is finished” (John 19:30). That finishing brought us salvation.

My brothers and sisters let us not leave our race halfway, nor our tower half built. Some may finish faster, some slower, but let us be faithful till the end. Be aware that to finish, we need patience, trust, and love.

 My Jesus, give me the patience and strength to finish my race. Amen.

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