Focus: Following Jesus means making good decisions day by day that orient us ever more clearly toward him. His promise: life in fullness.
Often we see commercials in the media with enticing announcements of something we can have for “free.” Some of us get burnt—we do what the ad asks and find out the “free” thing actually costs quite a lot. In this way a person learns quickly to read the fine print of such offers because the fine print can become the stumbling stone.
In today’s gospel, Jesus speaks very plainly with us and hides nothing. He bluntly challenges those who are with him to take up the demands of discipleship with eyes wide open. Jesus clearly spells out the fine print in large letters, so to speak: Disciples must put Jesus ahead of their families. The word ‘hate’ is hyperbolic; we understand what Jesus means when we read Matthew’s version of this verse: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” (Mt 10:37). The disciples’ families and friends (in person or virtual) must not keep us from following him, nor must possessions be in the way; nor even concern for their own lives.
This gospel passage is part of a larger section in Luke that extends over ten chapters: the narrative of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem following his ministry in Galilee. Jerusalem is the city of Jesus’ destiny, where his suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension are going to take place. There salvation is being accomplished and from there, guided by the Holy Spirit, the proclamation of God’s saving word is to go forth. During the course of his journey to Jerusalem, Jesus is preparing those around him for the role they will play later as his missionary disciples
Great crowds are traveling with him, we hear. Jesus wants everybody to know that following him isn’t a walk in the park. His listeners are meant to “calculate the cost” of discipleship. Jesus’ message is a pretty challenging one: “If our absolute priority isn’t Jesus and his mission, then we “cannot be [his] disciple(s).” And: Following him includes carrying one’s cross.
Material things, the respect and praise of people and power and influence over others are not bad in themselves. They are God’s good gifts and they can be used for the glory of God. The problem comes in when God’s gifts become possessions. They are mine; I hold on to them.
God gives us wisdom and sends the Holy Spirit from on high, so today’s first reading tells us. The Holy Spirit shows us how to use God’s gifts aright. Today’s gospel, therefore, is an invitation to us to practice discernment: Is a thought that we entertain, a word that we speak and an action that we take the work of the Holy Spirit in us or are we allowing other spirits that aren’t the Holy Spirit to gain influence over us?
Dear sisters and brothers in the Lord, Following Jesus means making good decisions day by day that orient us ever more clearly toward him. His promise is that we will receive a hundred times more than what we have given up and, even on this earth, life in fullness.
One good way of keeping track of our everyday decision making is the Examination of Consciousness. Many people do it at the end of the day. I do it in the evening, too. I first ask God for clarity and understanding in regard of what happened in my life and in me during this past day. Then I review my day in thanksgiving. I think about the day in terms of how it was a gift. I thank God for my existence, my work, my relationships, for the food that nourishes me … and even for difficult things
that happened. I review my feelings that surface in the replay of the past day. Our feelings, positive and negative, painful and pleasing,are the liveliest index of what is going on in our lives. Then I choose one of those feelings (positive or negative) and use it as a starting point for prayer, for praise, petition, contrition or a cry for help. Finally I look toward tomorrow. I think of the tasks, meetings and appointments of the next day. Which feelings surface? I turn them into spontaneous prayer.
I conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. This method which comes from St. Ignatius of Loyola, can help us to determine when in the course of our day we fell victim to false promises and when we responded to those of Jesus.
I wish all of us and pray that as we return back into the ordinary routine of life this fall, we may do so with attentiveness toward what’s happening around us and in us and with great trust that the Holy Spirit whom Jesus has sent uswil l enlighten, guide and strengthen us on all our ways. AMEN.
~Fr. Thomas Leitner, OSB