Twenty-third Sunday of
Ordinary Time (C) [Lk 14:25-33]
07.09.2025
The
Cost of Discipleship
Readings: (1) Wis 9:13-18 (2) Philem 1:9-10.12-17
1.
Theme in brief
The cost of discipleship: radical detachment
2. Focus Statement
The following are the conditions to follow Christ:
placing his values above everything else including one’s family ties and life
itself; acquiring an attitude of self-sacrifice; and detachment from worldly possessions.
3. Explanation of
the text
In today’s gospel text, Jesus instructs the large crowds
that were travelling with him on the road to Jerusalem about the three conditions
that are necessary to follow him: (1) ‘hating’ one’s family members and even one’s life
itself (14:26); (2) carrying one’s cross and following him (14:27); and (3) renouncing all
worldly possessions (14:33). He spells out in clear terms that
Christian discipleship involves an absolute allegiance and loyalty to him over one’s own family
members, over one’s self-interest, and possessions.
The Bible scholars tell us that the harsh expression
used by Jesus while instructing his followers to ‘hate’ one’s family members (14:26)
does not have the same meaning as in our languages, that is, an intense dislike
or revulsion
towards them. It is a typical example of the habit of exaggerating a point in
Semitic languages in order to stress it. Actually speaking, Jesus calls his
disciples neither to hate their families and blood-relations, nor their very
lives in the literal sense. This expression refers to the primary allegiance or a higher preference
which disciples must give to Jesus over their own families. He tells them to
place their loyalty to him above their family loyalties. Here Jesus invites
them to love their families less than him when it comes to choosing certain principles
or values. In other words, he asks them to prefer him and his values over the family ties or
blood relationships, when they are violated or negated by their own family members.
This is the way he spells out the single-minded commitment and devotion required of
the one who would follow him all the way.
Next, Jesus explains that discipleship consists in
following him by "carrying the cross" (14:27). Naturally, this points
to the renunciation
of self-interest
and willingness to make sacrifices for his sake or for the sake of the
gospel. In short, he spells out the conditions to follow him in clear terms: to place
him and his values above everything else including one’s family ties (father, mother, wife,
children…) and life
itself; to make self-sacrifices;
and to be detached
from possessions (14:33).
Jesus tells two brief parables to illustrate the cost of
discipleship and giving up everything for his cause. Through the parables of the
tower-builder and the warring king, he explains that Christian discipleship is like
building a tower
and fighting
a war, both of which need careful planning, preparation and perseverance
(14:28-32). The first one speaks about a tower-builder who fails to
estimate the actual cost of the tower when he lays the foundation. If he fails
to complete his project due to lack of funds, he will have to face ridicule
from all who see the unfinished structure (14:29). What Jesus says here is that
it is better not to begin building a tower (that is, follow his way of life),
if one is not willing to sit down first (that is, reflect) and estimate the cost (that
is, detachments
and sacrifices
involved in following him).
The second story is about a king who needs to make an assessment
whether he will be able to wage a war against his rival king who comes to fight
with twenty thousand soldiers when he has only ten thousand (14:31). In that case, the wisest decision he should
make is to negotiate
with his enemy by sending a delegation before he comes face to face with his
army (14:32). It is better for him not to think of waging a war against a rival
king if he does not have the strength of more than twenty thousand soldiers
possessed by the rival. All the half-hearted decisions and miscalculations to follow Christ
will have the same result – his disciples will become the laughing stock of
everybody and lose the battle even before it is fought (14:29, 31). What he
means is: if one is not in a position to complete the journey of discipleship,
it is better not to begin it at all. There is no room for half-hearted following; it is all or nothing.
4. Application to life
Business people attract their customers by highlighting
the merits
of their products because they have to sell them to maximum number of
customers. Like those commodities, Christianity is not on sale. Today Jesus
reminds us that it is not a low-cost and low-risk product. He does not
attract people by offering them better features and more comforts at lower cost like
businessmen. Today’s gospel challenges this mentality outright and makes Jesus’
disciples fully aware of the high cost of the decision one makes to follow him
against the expectations of low cost and greater comforts.
Jesus makes his call to discipleship neither very cheap
nor too easy,
nor one more hobby. It carries a high price-tag. Those who decide to follow him
should count the cost. He clearly spells out its demands, costs and consequences.
Thus his call to discipleship is both a gift and a task. Though he calls us out of
his love, he also has costly demands. Jesus was not interested in attracting
disciples just for increasing the number of his followers. Today’s gospel
implies that he wanted to turn away all half-hearted followers and expected them to be
persons of serious
commitment and devotion to his cause. He even hints that they should
re-consider
their decision to follow him because of the high cost involved. He wants his
followers to allow the absolute love of God to penetrate and influence all
other human love and relationships. He explains to his disciples that following
him (= Christian discipleship) involves the surrender of the whole life to him
and for his cause. Hence, today’s gospel is a bitter pill to those who live
their Christian faith half-heartedly.
Jesus wants that we should put the cause of God’s Kingdom
above blood-relationships,
self-interest
and possessions.
Let us take the first condition for discipleship: one must be willing to be detached from
family ties and be exclusively attached to his Person. Attachment to one’s
family, self-interests and possession can become a stumbling block to following him
with total commitment. For this radical detachment he uses the expression of “hating”
one’s father, mother, wife, etc. As we have explained above, it does not mean
literally hating them or breaking off all family ties and affections. What it
means is anyone who stands on the way of radical (serious) commitment to Christ
and his cause (that is, the Kingdom of God), even if they are one’s own family
members such as father, mother, wife, children, etc., must be disobeyed or
disregarded. It is possible that sometimes our natural affections towards our
near and dear ones may stand on the way of following Christ wholeheartedly. In
such cases one must be willing to hurt one’s natural sentiments and affections
towards one’s family members. At that time Christ and his values are to be preferred over
family ties and blood-relationship. If we want to be really faithful
to Jesus, we must be ready to incur the displeasure of our family members.
Commitment to Jesus should be considered above everything else, including family ties
and even one’s
own life.
Jesus makes it clear that those who
follow him radically may occasionally have to enter into conflicts with their
own family members who follow him superficially or have no regard for his
values. For example, suppose our parents, spouses and
family members or relatives advise us to take bribes or misappropriate public
funds, we have to decide whether to follow their advice or Jesus’ values of honesty
and integrity of life. Suppose a husband pressurizes his pregnant wife to
undergo an abortion, or abort a female foetus (in those societies where girl
child is not welcome) after a sex-determination test, she has to decide whether
to follow her conscience
by upholding the dignity and sacredness of life or listen to her husband’s
suggestion. Suppose our family members advise us not to take up any Church
leadership or community service where there is no remuneration but only
opposition and criticism from disgruntled members, we have to decide whom we are
going to listen to. This can
happen not only in families but also in religious life and priesthood. Since
religious life is a radical way of following the Lord, a conflict of interests, priorities and choices can arise
in religious communities between those who want to live it really radically and
those who want to dilute this radicalism to a great extent.
Our conscience is a great guide in deciding to
follow Christ’s values in various situations. As A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (the late President
of India) says, our conscience is our inner voice that rises in protest whenever
anything is thought of or done which is contrary to righteousness (cf. his book
“Indomitable
Spirit”). As Christian disciples, for us righteousness means following the
gospel values for which we need to train our and our children’s conscience. Abdul
Kalam says that we have become deaf to the voice of our conscience and insensitive to
its prick
due to rampant corruption. We are learning to accept, especially in developing
countries, corruption as a way of life. How far is this true of us? A number of
people would be happy if the Church leaders would forget about Christ’s uncompromising demands
and present a ‘little sweet’ Jesus. Some of them would celebrate if the present
Pope would permit gay marriages, divorce, re-marriage of divorcees, etc.
But Jesus does not sugar-coat his message. According to
him, even those things which we consider very valuable and dear to us – life,
family affections and possessions are to be sacrificed, if they are
obstacles to follow him. It is precisely when we decide to follow him radically
by preferring him over blood-relationship the shadow of the cross follows us –
we become objects of ridicule, criticism, opposition, non-cooperation, etc. That
is why Jesus puts another condition to discipleship, namely, their readiness
and willingness to carry their crosses. In this context, the
cross symbolizes all the hardships, suffering, humiliation and sacrifices
involved in following the Lord in a radical manner. He wants that we should die
to self-interest and allow God to be our greatest driving force.
Further, through two brief parables Jesus compares
discipleship to a building project that requires careful planning and
sufficient resources, and to a battle against all anti-kingdom forces. Instead
of deciding to follow him under sudden impulse or emotion, we have to make a mature
deliberation and calculation. We should have enough spiritual
resources to walk till the end (till the way of the cross). A half-hearted
Christian may become a laughing stock like the foolish house-builder who left
the building half done due to his miscalculation of the actual cost. Another
way of leaving the building of Christian life half-complete is just avoiding
evil, but not doing any good to those from whom nothing is expected in return.
Today, the Lord tells us to count the cost before taking up
important responsibilities, or entering into various states of life. Think of
the cost we need to count before launching into married, ordained or religious
sates of life, or before assuming major leadership roles. Imagine the initial
enthusiasm we had when we first got married or entered into religious life or
joined an organization. Though the elders and preachers had already made us
aware or cautioned us about the sacrifices involved in these life-long
commitments, we had no experience of the sacrifices involved. Now after facing
trials and hardships, we have to ask ourselves whether we have sufficient
resources (that is, psycho-spiritual stamina) to persevere and complete our
life’s mission till the end with a sense of fulfilment. We have to consider
seriously the sacrifices and challenges involved in the vocations we choose and
the responsibilities we take up. Any half-heartedness in these matters, may lead to
betrayal of relationships and trust, and consequent ridicule by the public.
5. Response to
God's Word
Are we ready to face the displeasure
and opposition of our family members by not following their advice, life-style and
behaviour which we (in conscience) think go against Christ or his values? Do we
cultivate a ‘culture of silence’ in our families and communities when Christian
values are trampled upon because of the fear of hurting/displeasing those who
are dear or superior to us? Do we become fence-sitters in those situations,
refusing to take any side? Do we become deaf to the voice of our conscience
when on own family members/ relatives/ friends advice us to disregard its
pricks?
6. A Prayer
Jesus, today you tell us that we
should prefer you and your values over our family ties and even our own life
and possessions. You want that we should not mind displeasing our own near and
dear ones to follow you and the voice of our conscience. Since we find this
teaching so hard to follow, we have failed to observe it several times. May our
decision to follow you in our state of life be deliberate, mature and well
calculated, no matter what the cost is or how heavy the cross is. Deliver us
from all half-hearted and mediocre commitments. Amen.
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