Fans or Disciples?

Listening to the Spirit

We are here before You, O Holy Spirit;
we feel the weight of our weakness,
but we have all gathered here in Your name;
come to us, help us, come to our hearts;
teach us what we should do,
show us the path that we should follow,
fulfill what You ask of us.
You alone are the one to suggest and to guide our decisions,
because You alone, with God the Father and with the Son,
have a holy and glorious name.
Amen.

Listening to the Word

Lk 14:25-33

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

Reflection

“…he cannot be my disciple.” This is the refrain of today's gospel. Jesus once again presents the conditions of discipleship. Blood tides, refusal of the cross and possessions are, according to Him, the elements that might represent all the others hindrances in following Him as disciples.

It is not the first time the topic comes out of Jesus. Since the very beginning, the true discipleship was challenged by the enthusiastic hearts of those who wanted to follow Him.

If there is something that we must take right away from this gospel is the clarity and determination of Jesus in calling His disciple. The Lord is not interested in counting those who come to him. His words are strong and are free of all illusions. It brings us too to the famous passage of chapter 6 of John's gospel with the question of Jesus to the disciples and the answer of Peter: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You alone have the words of eternal life.” (Jn 6:68)

From one attitude of enthusiasm, that may also be helpful in the beginning, to a more deep knowledge of themselves and of the Lord. He wants to purify the desire of the disciple in following Him.

The disciple is one who makes calculations, one called to reflect on his/her life before God. It is reckless to act without reflection. We’d be exposing ourselves to frustration, ridicule or even disaster.

From fans to be disciples, there is a big difference. In other passages of the gospel, we were able to listen to and see the same Jesus presenting the kingdom of God. He made it through miracles, driving out demons, healings, control the winds and waves and so on so forth. As well as in His discourses against the powerful and rich.

It is understandable that in such way He got many followers. Enthusiastic people who became fans of this marvelous man.

Now He is not speaking to the rich, the sinners or His enemies. He is talking to “the Great crowds with Him” [Jesus], “and he turned and addressed them.” It is a personal address of Jesus to each one of us.

We are among those who follow Jesus, with all our baggage of the past. One among so many, our name can be lost. In the crow, one can hide, be lost. Not for Him. He addresses us personally talking about what does it means to follow Him.

It is impossible to follow Him without personal cost. The calculation that each one is called to do beforehand is for his/her benefit. The Lord does not hide the dimension of the kingdom that contains separation from family, humiliation, suffering and even death. The reality of the cross in the life of the disciple.

“Whoever does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” As followers of Jesus one can be sure that, the cross we have can change us in a very personal way from a fan of Christ into a disciple.

Reflection Questions

Do I possess the logic of the cross, that is, the logic of love freely given?

Are we convinced that we must get to the point of separating ourselves from all that ties our hearts: affection received and given, life itself, in order to follow Jesus?

Does my capability to think to inform my life of faith or is it just an interior impulse that dissolves with time and slips by the events of my daily life?