"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple"
Luke 14: 25-33
The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090422.cfm
A Catholic school teacher once asked her eager 10 year old students to hold up their hands if they would give $1 million to the missionaries. All their hands went up immediately and they shouted “Yes.” She then pushed the point further and asked if they would give $1,000, then $100 and each time they eagerly all waved their hands in the air and shouted a firm “Yes.”
Then she asked a final time if they would give even $1 to
the missionaries. They once again shouted
“Yes” except for one boy who did not raise his hand this time. The teacher asked him “Why didn’t you say
‘Yes’ this time?” The boy said, “Well, I actually have a dollar.” When reality
hits, can we really follow through? Are we willing to let everything go for the sake of Christ? That is the essence of discipleship.
Jesus reminds us there is a price to pay for true followers. That to follow him will not be the easy or
necessarily the popular way. Masses of people followed for a variety
of reasons: his teaching, his charisma, his bold confrontation with the
Pharisees, his compassionate and inclusive manner and his evident power to
heal. Everyone wants to be on the winner’s side. To an oppressed and exploited
people his presence was the longed-for hope.
Yet, note the context in which the Gospel is placed. Large crowds are following Jesus, he abruptly stops, looks at the crowd, then challenges them all with a statement that must have caused many to re-evaluate their admiration for him. While we don't exactly know the destination of this journey with Jesus, the point is made about that regardless to follow the Lord with seriousness has a unique set of demands.
Over the last several Sunday’s Jesus has been rather harsh in our choice of Gospels as he lays out for us his demands of Christian discipleship – and they have not been comfortable. We’ve heard about divisiveness in families over matters of faith, about humility, and the narrow gate to salvation. This Sunday we hear Jesus speaking of “hate” towards family members and about renouncing all possessions. These are tough words. Is he asking the impossible for the average person?
One point that can help is to remember that the original Scriptures were not written in American English. So every Bible we read is a translation of a translation. While the Scripture scholars make great efforts to be faithful to original meanings, it doesn’t always translate exactly. The word "hate" for example, has very negative connotations in modern English. All rabbinical hyperbole aside, Jesus implies that whether it be family or any other human attachment, our seeking for the ultimate good in our life must be beyond human attachments. God alone is the ultimate good and is here, personified in Jesus, who reminds us that as his disciples our primary focus for the good must rest in him alone. The same must be true with our material possessions. In short, no thing or no person must mean more to us than Christ alone. No human relationship, with all the power to love, must still love for the sake of God and not for its sake alone.
If one is to embrace with an intentional seriousness, the
way of Christ, then we must do so with a certain calculation; a sense of
preparedness and be ready to embrace his way and not just to blindly walk into
it. So Jesus tells the parable of a
builder and how ell he prepares and calculates.
If a non-believer is so careful about their projects so much more should
the followers of Jesus take time to determine what they are able to give up and
how much they are willing to sacrifice.
So putting this all together and understanding that
Jesus’ words may imply a different kind of “hate” in its original context we
may find his call to discipleship may not be as heart wrenching in its
implication as first impresses. Still, it is a serious challenge that demands
an assessment of our priorities. What do we still hold on to? What is causing us a distraction that limits
our ability or willingness to see Jesus as the greatest good in our life?
As he speaks this challenge in the context of the large crowd, he addresses those who may be following him naively or with a limited measure of sacrifice. It’s as if Jesus is saying to the many followers: “Do you really know what I am asking of you? Do you really understand that you will have to sacrifice and turn your life around in another direction? I want disciples not just followers. I want commitment not Catholics in name only. Ultimately, to know that even when it comes to family and the “stuff” I have, when in conflict, I would always choose God above all others.
Think of St. Thomas Moore for example, the highly respected Chancellor of England under King Henry VIII. Thomas could not budge as a matter of his Christian conscience that what Henry wanted, a divorce from his first wife, a lawful Marriage, and to literally wrench control over the Catholic Church in England from the Pope was morally wrong; he refused to consent as a lone voice among the leaders in that country, both secular and religious. Henry cannot claim that he is the supreme head of the Church in England.
Thomas refused was imprisoned and given the death penalty. He bravely did not consent and despite the pleadings of his wife and daughters and other companions, he sacrificed all for the sake of God. Thomas Moore let go of all as a true disciple of the Lord.
This is a reinforcement
in other words of our Gospel several Sundays ago. These are tough words to be sure but in the
larger context of daily Christian living, they make sense if we take our
discipleship seriously. It is the way to a more meaningful and abundant life
with Jesus as Lord of our lives.
Christian history has provided many inspiring examples of
those who took these words literally:
St. Francis of Assisi, St. Thomas Moore, and St. Teresa of Calcutta
among many others. So, while it may seem
daunting, we know with the grace of God all is possible. These were not just
followers of the Lord – they were true disciples of Jesus and that is where we
are all called to go. Conversion is a daily process of prayer, reflection,
common sense, and perseverance. Like the builder and the king in the Gospel, we
must also be calculating in the overall value we place upon our life of faith
and our relationship with God.
Our lives must center on God alone as the greatest good; a value that we would never compromise even at the cost of losing that lesser good. If we center our lives accordingly, all other people and possessions fall into place and our human centered loves will reflect that greater good of God .
So, am I a follower of Christ or am I his disciple?”
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A Prayer by Mother Teresa
Dear Jesus help us to spread your fragrance
everywhere we go
Flood our souls with your Spirit and life
Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly
that our lives may only be a radiance of yours.
Shine through us and be so in us
that every soul we come in contact with
may feel your presence in our soul
Let them look up and see no longer us, but only Jesus.
Stay with us and then and then we shall begin to shine as
you shine,
so too shine as to be a light to others.
St. Teresa of Calcutta
Disciple of Mercy
Pray for us
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