DISCIPLESHIP MEANS DETACHMENT, PERSEVERANCE AND FAITHFULNESS
Being a disciple of Christ is a call to detachment, perseverance and faithfulness. It is a challenge, we cannot be committed to Christ and his gospel if we are attached to someone or something. The call of Christ to discipleship entails endurance through hard times. Above all, it is a call of faithfulness from the beginning to the end without lukewarmness, complacency or giving up when challenges come to us as a result of following Christ.
THE RADICAL CALL AND THE RADICAL RESPONSE
Today’s readings are about God’s call and man’s answering to that call with a radical and urgent commitment. The essence of Christianity is all about following Jesus. This act of following comes with no assurance of security, stability or certainty in this life. However, it has an eternal promise of Heaven and all blessedness.
OUR THEME
The readings this Sunday are all about the Cost of Discipleship and the Challenge of Responding to a Vocational Call from God. The main theme of readings this Sunday is the cost of discipleship of Christ. We might as well ask: who is a disciple of Christ?
Etymologically, the noun “disciple” comes from the Latin word “discipulus”, which means “student, learner, or follower.” One of the earliest places disciples showed up was in the Bible, it means “a follower of Jesus,” sometimes specifically one of the twelve Apostles.
Today’s readings are about God’s call and man’s commitment in answer to that call. The readings ask one for total detachment and commitment made in total freedom with the spirit of patient love. That is, to say an unconditional “Yes” to Jesus and the Christian life, as a true disciple of Christ.
FIRST READING: I KINGS 19:16, 19-21
The first reading describes how Elisha committed himself whole-heartedly to answer God’s call to be a prophet, despite his initial hesitation when God called him through the prophet Elijah.
He sacrificed all he could become attached to and comfortably separated himself from all that could hold him back. The truth is that God is also calling us. Whether we respond or not, he might call us from a livelihood or passion as he did call Peter from his fishing, Matthew from his tax office, and Elisha from his farm.
The book of the Kings describes the vocation of Eliseo, disciple and heir to the prophet Elijah. when Elisha decides to serve God, he renounces his past life and sacrifices his animals to symbolize his total freedom. This is a radical response to God`s call.
However, many of us choose or call do answer God’s call? Jesus once observed that “Many are called but few are chosen” (Mt 22:14). On the other hand, we have his words of warm encouragement, “Fear not little flock, for it has pleased the Father to give you the kingdom” (Lk 12:32).
The prophetic mission is a noble and fulfilling task though hard and unpleasant most times. It is not a guaranteed job but there is a promise of eternal life, joy and fulfilment if there is perseverance and fidelity.
SECOND READING: GALATIANS 5:1, 13-18,
The second reading, taken from Paul’s letter to the Galatians reinforces the commitment message of the first reading. Paul warns that true freedom is not meant to be a license for self-indulgence. Rather, it is a way to show God, ourselves, and other human beings our commitment to God and His service.
The encouragement of Paul is that: “through love become servants to one another.” This is living with the true freedom for which Christ has set us free. This reassures us of the unconditional love on God’s part for every person.
With that belief we renew our Yes to our basic Christian vocation: “through love become servants to one another” or in our Lord’s words: “Love one another as I have loved you.”
Authentic Christian freedom, above all, is an attitude of life and a spiritual experience that is anchored on the freedom to love, which tries to overcome all selfishness and all attachment to the things of the flesh.
St. Paul challenges that Whoever is animated by the spirit is not evasive of Christian commitment, but assumes the daily challenges of fraternal service and love.
THE GOSPEL: LUKE: 9:51-56
The first part of today’s Gospel Lk. 9:51-56 records Jesus’ teaching on Christian tolerance, given after he had observed the angry response of two of his apostles: James and John. They were angry and asked if Jesus wanted, they could bring down fire from Heaven to destroy the Samaritans who had refused to accept or receive Jesus as a prophet or allow him to travel through their village because Jesus was travelling to Jerusalem.
Saint Luke tells us about the long and difficult journey of Jesus to Jerusalem. Whoever wants to imitate Jesus, is invited to follow him and be willing to share his radical lifestyle.
For Jesus vocation or the calling to serve God is not a compulsion or an ‘advantage’ to greener pasture of ‘ostentatious living’ or ‘’priestacrftying’’ like James and John. No. Jesus’ invitation or response to a vocation is one of SACRIFICE… ‘’Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head’’. It is also one of DETACHMENT… ‘’Let the dead bury their dead’’. Again, it is one of STEADFASTNESS… ‘’No one who sets a hand to the plough and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God’’. Lk. 9:51-62
JESUS AND THE SONS OF ZEBEDEE IN THE MOVIE: THE CHOSEN
The most fundamental question today is why did Jesus rebuke this burning zeal to act violently in the name of God?
This gospel text should be connected to all Jesus` connections to the Samaritan people, the archenemies of the Jewish people. First, going down to their region was a deliberate decision and action to break down religious, cultural, ethnic and racial biases or prejudices.
Jesus: You want to use the power of God to burn these people up?
James: It sounds a lot worse when you said it that way.
In the second part of today’s Gospel, Luke 9:57-62 introduces the spirit of commitment to discipleship and ¨followership¨. For Jesus, ¨followership¨ entails commitment, and there is a cost involved. A total, immediate and without reservations to him and his cause and by surrendering our lives to God in humble and dedicated service to others.
THEREBY THE READINGS CHALLENGE PROFOUNDLY OUR HUMAN EXCUSES WITH THE DEMANDS OF THE GOSPEL.
1. The excuses of surety, security and certainty before we commit to God and his cause; place before us the gospel demand of our readiness to risk all and everything for Christ´s sake. Mt. 16:24 and Lk. 9:23
2. The excuses of the bandwagon, ¨follow-follow¨, or anything that goes without decision-making or plan invite us to reflect on the gospel demand to have a calculative plan and decisional stands. Lk. 14:28-31
3. The excuses of other commitments, blameworthiness, escapism attitudes of lack of time, money or talent; the gospel demands total, immediate and unreservedly stand and decision for Christ or the kingdom of God with earthly and eternal rewards. Mt.19:29, Mk. 10:29-31
I often think that we have tamed the gospel, we have domesticated discipleship. In other words, we have made it so comfortable that we could go along without the radical challenges that are therein.
LESSONS FROM THE READINGS OF TODAY
Christian call is a prophetic one that us to a radical detachment to all worldly things.
It is a call that requires overturning our priorities to synchronize with the will of God.
It is a call for freedom from slavery to sins of all kinds and challenges Christian love for all mankind.
We are called not to use the power of God abusively like James and John wanted to do in the gospel
The gospel of Jesus is purely based on freedom, free will and tolerance of others in their differences from us.
Yet, it is a call with determination and urgency to proclaim the gospel without distractions.
We are challenged to move away from our comfort zones of spiritual laziness, complaining and excuses.
It is a fundamental and radical calling that entails self-denial, sacrifices, discomfort, difficulties, and a serviceable spirit to love God and others.
AS CHRISTIANS, WE SHOULD HAVE THE COURAGE OF OUR CONVICTIONS AND SO HONOUR OUR COMMITMENTS:
(a) The marriage commitment. The spouses are expected to honour their marriage commitment, that is, to remain in mutual love and respect till their death and to raise their children to be zealous Christians.
(b) The priestly and religious commitment: Priests, Deacons and religious should honour the commitment they have made to obey their lawful superiors, keep their vows, and spend their lives serving God’s people faithfully.
(c) The Christian commitment: As Christians, all of us should honour our Baptismal commitment, and bear witness to him through ideal and transparent Christian lives.
In a nutshell, the call of Our Lord Jesus Christ implies a radical response. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and may we dispose of our hearts to receive the gifts and the graces that God wants to give us in this celebration to follow him faithfully and committedly.
Our decision to be active Christians is never totally definitive and needs constant reaffirmation. Today’s Holy Scripture gives some examples of the radical choice of vocation, like Elisha slaughtering his oxen before leaving home to be a prophet. Can we fully follow the Holy Spirit, to be free for God’s service?
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, apostleship, discipleship and ¨followership¨ and the gospel´s demand have a committed cost and a profound spirit of self-sacrifice and self-donation. Help us with your unfailing grace to follow you without counting the cost but to look lovely to the beautiful and eternal promises of gaining all a hundredfold times and the reward of everlasting life. Amen
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