Sayings on Discipleship

Today's Reflections

                      

                                                                                 

Sayings on Discipleship

Lk 14:25-33

²⁵Great crowds were traveling with [Jesus], and he turned and addressed them, ²⁶“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. ²⁷Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. ²⁸Which 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? ²⁹Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him ³⁰and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ ³¹Or 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? ³²But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. ³³In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

GREAT CROWDS WERE TRAVELING WITH JESUS. Having finished dinner in the home of the leading Pharisee who had invited him, Jesus is amid crowds of people and is addressing them. The Gospel says that they are traveling with Jesus.

What does it mean to travel or walk with Jesus? What does it demand?

Jesus tells the crowds what it means to be his disciples. Clearly it is not for everyone; discipleship entails great determination and effort and includes suffering. Jesus calls for renunciation. This means loving him more than father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, even one’s own life. It requires carrying one’s cross and following in Jesus’ footsteps. It demands breaking away from a self-centered orientation and ordering one’s life towards living for God’s kingdom.

Jesus also asks would-be disciples to consider clearly the implications of it all—that they need to renounce all their possessions. In fact, later in Luke’s gospel, a rich person will fail to meet the challenge and will go away sad because he is very rich (cf Lk 18:18-23).

“Discipleship comes from responding to the call of Christ.

The strength and power to meet its demands

rests squarely on Jesus who invites the response”

(Tom Shanahan SJ).