Sept. 4th, 2016 Sunday homily –Fr.Francis Chirackal CMI
Wis 9:13-19b; Phlm 9-10, 12-17; Lk 14:25-33
We are living in a marketing society. Every day we see a number of new products and services which offer a variety of attractive and flexible shopping and membership options. Certain services may offer a variety of memberships, starting from a guest member or a donor to ultra premier or executive member. The cost may range from 0 dollar to thousands of dollars and sometimes may lead even to certain hidden charges and maze-like situations. In today’s gospel, Jesus, posts seemingly a very unsuccessful marketing offer. It seems, that he asks a high price for a less visible product with no flexible options. It looks like he hasn’t attended any marketing workshops or sessions. But, the history stands before us, laughing at our skilled methods, with the most successful and ever growing popularity of Jesus’ product.
Jesus, in today’s gospel, speaks of the cost of discipleship and life. Jesus, as he himself describes is very meek and mild, humble and gentle. But today’s gospel, presents him as harsh and unrelenting. He’s so demanding. There are no different levels of commitment. It seems as if it’s all or nothing. After attracting a large crowd of followers, He wanted his followers to have a clear idea of discipleship. He spells out exactly what it means to be one of his disciples, and Jesus tells them to count the cost of what it means to follow him. Unless we keep God in first place, others in second place and serve God and His children at the cost of our own comforts and lives, keeping ourselves in third place, we can’t be his disciples.
Living for God and His Kingdom, doesn’t mean doing extraordinary things in life. Living an ordinary life with grace in given situations, whether at home or outside, following Jesus’ message takes us through a lot of hardships and strong decisions. Today’s scripture is so challenging, so maybe it will help if we look at it in a new way. First of all, let’s talk about what Jesus did not say. Then we’ll talk about what he did say. Finally, we’ll ask ourselves how we should respond to what he said. He did not say that hating our parents, our spouse, our family is a basic principle of our relationship with God.
Jesus wasn’t using the word “hate” the way we understand it. It’s not something that translates well, but in this context, it is really more of a comparative term. He didn’t mean that we should harbor ill will towards our families and our own lives, but he did mean that the priorities of his followers would be different. It was however, simply a matter of choosing new priorities. In fact, we are told by him to love our neighbors. In 1John, it says that, “those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” So, the whole point of this passage is that Jesus tells us that at some point, we will come to a time in our relationship with him that we will have to make a decision. When it does come, the one who wants to be a follower of Christ has to choose Jesus over something else.
In his great book, "The Cost of Discipleship," Bonhoeffer warns about cheap grace. “Cheap grace,” he says, “is the deadly enemy of the church.” It is “grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.” He goes on to say, “If we would follow Jesus we must take certain definite steps. The first step, which follows the call, cuts the disciple off from his previous existence. The call to follow at once, produces a new situation.” In other words, while following Jesus, may mean turning our back on certain things, it also means that a whole new world, a whole new life is opened up for us! Giving God first place and witnessing Him are required in all situations. It opens opportunities to all, irrespective of class, status, location, occupation, race or age, to be His disciples at all times.
Today Holy Father Pope Francis canonizes Mother Theresa, who followed Jesus giving first place to Jesus in her whole life. She transformed her love of God into service to the fellow beings in need. She fallowed Jesus in her actual life and showed God’s love to her fellow beings with humble service. Let us think of the depth of our own discipleship in Christ and grow in commitment and grace. God bless you.
Grace is such a difficult concept to define. Your writing has helped me see grace in a new light.
ReplyDeleteThank you Valerie. God bless you.
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