Twenty-third Sunday Gospel Reflections C

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, 
· Jesus gives some reflections on the role and life of a disciple.

“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. 
· The first cost of discipleship is a certain detachment from those closest to us. If it comes to making a decision which says we have to choose between Jesus and a member of our family, whom would we choose.? This is the total commitment of discipleship.
· Jesus is not asking for total separation or rejection of our family, but a realization that he alone is the Lord and no one else must be given that status in our life. He is first at all times.
· Have we had to face that point in our life, even in small matters, where following Jesus  was more important than pleasing family?

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
· Following Jesus means readiness to accept persecution and suffering. Have we experienced this in our faith journey as a disciple of Jesus? What decisions did we make? What did we learn?
o Notice he says “his own cross.” We are not expected to carry anyone else’s cross.  Ours is tailored for us at this moment of our life.

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.
· Sometimes we want to follow Jesus on our own terms but we do not assess the cost of disciple and our commitment to embrace it fully. Something may be worth it, but whether I am willing to pay the price may be another consideration.
· How important is following Jesus to you? Are there any limitations or restrictions or conditions you are placing on your response? If the call is from Jesus, do we accept his call unreservedly or conditionally?

  In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”
· What does this mean?
· Recall the time the rich young man came to Jesus and ask what it took to gain eternal life. Jesus said basically he should keep the commandments of love. The man said he was doing this but asked what more is needed. Jesus said that he should seek holiness and total dependency on him, go and free himself of all obligations and possessions and come and follow him totally. The man could not because he could let go his possessions.
· Discipleship is not necessarily physical poverty but definitely spiritual poverty where nothing else matters in one’s life but Jesus and being and serving him.
· How do we apply these sayings of Jesus in our own life today?