The Consequences Of Discipleship
Preaching
The Parables Of Jesus
Applications For Contemporary Life
Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So, therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions."
Theme
What are we willing to pay to be disciples of Jesus? That is the central question posed by the Lord in this series of sayings and twin parables that collectively ask us to contemplate the consequences of following in the footsteps of Jesus. In a world where demands of our time, energy, and resources always seem to increase, we are challenged to reflect upon how much effort we have made to truly be disciples. Have we been answering the call or hiding from God? The cost of discipleship is high; it is our very life. But the reward of being a true follower of the Lord cannot be measured. As Saint Paul says (1 Corinthians 2:9), "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him." Today's Gospel requires us to ask, "What am I willing to pay to be a disciple of the Lord?" What will be your answer?
Spiritual Food For The Journey
Consciously or unconsciously we spend much of our life preparing for the future. In the world of education we are constantly moving forward, learning more, and preparing for future challenges. We progress from primary to secondary, and, if we are fortunate, to college level education. After our initial education is completed we are still learning and growing. Many working people make the conscious decision to return to school to add skills to their repertoire and, thereby, enhance their marketability. We attend workshops, seminars, lectures, and professional conferences. In each of these instances, almost without thinking about it, we calculate the cost and determine the consequences of our actions. We won't take a certain course of study if we believe it is beyond our capability. We will only take the night class or attend the seminar if we have sufficient time to give and money to spend. We think long and hard about the things we might do and the things in which we will participate. We don't want to be ill-prepared or caught off guard. We knowingly or unknowingly calculate the consequences of our actions. To approach education in any other way seems foolish.
Few people today will "go out on a limb" and make a large purchase without figuring their ability to pay for the item or service. We may have to save for some period of time or make a decision that our resources will be spent on this one item at the expense of others. We do not want to get "in over our heads" and thus we measure the outlay before we commit ourselves.
We spend a lot of time preparing for and fostering personal relationships. Those who prepare for marriage do so with much caution and reflection. One would never think of professing public vows of commitment to another individual without long and serious reflection upon the decision. In most places and with many Christian denominations a marriage preparation program is used to assist couples in looking at the many issues they may face as husband and wife. Couples take whatever time is necessary to consider the consequences of their actions before entering a permanent commitment. Most people, as well, consider what the cost of a special friendship will be. We may lose some of our autonomy; we may have to back off from some of our own ideas, wants, or desires. We usually do so gladly, because we have figured that the cost is worth it. What we will receive is greater than the sacrifice we make.
With all the preparation and calculation we make with respect to education, the purchase of things, and our personal relationships it is rather sad that we often spend little time reflecting and measuring the consequences of being a follower of Jesus. It is not easy to be a disciple of the Lord; the barriers to our progress are high and numerous. The famous British writer G. K. Chesterton has stated the situation, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried." Thus, in order to negotiate through the maze of hurdles that confront us we must take some time to figure out what it will cost to run the race. What will be the consequences of our discipleship? Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that the cost of discipleship would be our whole lives. There are no shortcuts to salvation; we must walk the complete road. Jesus says the road less traveled will be narrow and rocky and we will find many crosses along the way, but if we calculate the outlay now, we will be ready for any eventuality. Therefore, let us take the time today to reflect on what it means to be a disciple of the Lord, not count the cost, and in the end find eternal life.
Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life
Sermon Openings
1. In his book Awareness, Jesuit Father Anthony de Mello tells the following short story. One day a man went to his son's room and knocked on the door. "John, wake up, it is time for you to go to school!" From inside, the answer came back, "I don't want to go to school, Dad." The father was persistent, knocked again, and said, "You must go to school." The answer again came back, "I don't want to go to school!" "Why not?" asked the father. "There are three reasons," came the reply. "First, I find school boring; second, the kids tease me terribly. Third I simply hate school." Then the father responded, "You have given me three reasons for not going to school, I will give you three that say you must attend. First, it is your duty; second you are 45 years old; and third, you are the principal."
Father de Mello's story and the thesis of his book is that people today spend too much time hiding from the truth; they want to run away and play with their toys. People today are happy to put their head in the sand, like the proverbial ostrich, and refuse to see the reality before them. People are unaware of the duties and responsibilities of their life; in many ways people are unwilling to pay the price for what they want. They simply want things and refuse to accept the consequences of their desires and needs.
The Christian life well-lived will ask much of us. We cannot run away and hope that things will magically be made whole and new. That is the dream world of John who at 45 years of age refused to accept the reality of his life. Today's Gospel presents us with a great challenge and asks what price am I willing to pay to be a disciple of Jesus. Am I ready to wake up, do my duty, and not count the cost?
2. In June, 1958, Bishop Fulton Sheen, then at the height of his popularity and fame through his television ministry, public speaking, and numerous books and essays, gave a commencement address which spoke of our need to embrace Jesus' cross. In his speech the bishop spoke about the heightened state of the cold war, existent since the end of World War II, between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union was characterized by the bishop as a nation under the weight of a cross, but with no Christ to bear it. The bishop referred to the severe plight of Soviet society which continued thirteen years after the end of the War. During the war thirty million people died; almost half were Russians. Besides the great carnage of death and injury wrought on the Soviet people, scars were still present in economic hardship, lack of food, clothing, and shelter, and a totalitarian government which opted entirely for the Communist elite. The Soviet Union was a nation that bore a great cross, but it was done without the aid of Christ, who was a non-entity in the ideology of atheism which the Communist government promoted.
The 1950s in the United States experienced a much different picture. Bishop Sheen characterized our nation as a country with Christ but no cross. America, which suffered the least damage to its people and way of life of any of the major belligerents, emerged from the war as the leader of the free world. Economically the country saw a boom period; the American people clearly saw themselves atop the pack in the race for productivity and higher standard of living. Christianity in the 1950s also experienced a flood tide of enthusiasm. Churches experienced high water marks in several measurable areas. Attendance at Sunday services was never greater; more children were attending Christian schools than ever before. Vocations to the ministry reached their apex as well. The United States had Christ, as evidenced by religious practice, but it had no cross.
Bishop Sheen's comparison was used to show, as the words of Jesus indicate, that there is a need for the world to have both the cross and Christ; one without the other results in a state of incompleteness that must be satisfied. The life of Jesus and the message of Scripture tell us that the cross will be part of our lives and that we must embrace it, rather than run away or reject it, in order to find eternal life. It seems that this is all wrong, backwards, and foolish. But the reality is, as Jesus reminds us, "Unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much fruit" (John 12:24).
The primary example of one who embraced the cross was Jesus himself. Unlike the synoptic Gospels which see the great triumph of Jesus in his resurrection, Saint John's narrative portrays Jesus' greatest triumph, his highest exaltation, in his crucifixion and painful death. On Good Friday Jesus was not taken to the cross in handcuffs. Rather he went voluntarily; he chose to die so that we could have eternal life. If Jesus had not embraced the cross our existence would be meaningless. Jesus knew his future fate and professed it openly. The Gospels tell us that on three different occasions he predicted his ignominious death, yet he continued the journey toward his final fate in Jerusalem. Jesus knew, as the author of Ecclesiastes (3:1-2) tells us, "There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to be born, and a time to die." His death brought life for us, but this great paradox of our faith was not possible without his embrace of the cross.
Jesus tells his disciples in today's Gospel passage that there are three conditions to discipleship, the central one of which is bearing the cross. We should not look for the cross, for it will find us. But we must be ready to embrace it, learn from the pain it brings, so that we will be better able to face the future and assist in building the Kingdom of God on earth.
Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder
1. We often go to the store and ask ourselves if we have enough money to purchase an item that we want. We make a judgment on our ability to finance the purchase. How carefully do we scrutinize the decisions we make pertinent to our relationship with God?
2. When trials and difficulties come our way what has been our reaction? Do we run and hide hoping that things will miraculously get better? Do we seek some easy way out of the situation? Can we possibly, on the other hand, meet the challenges head on, negotiate them, and in the process gain strength for future trials?
3. How do we set our priorities in life? Where does our relationship with God fall in our equation of life -- on top, in the middle, or somewhere else? Do we allow things and people to get in between ourselves and God?
4. Do we understand the consequences of being a Christian in our world and are we ready to pick up the cross and walk in the footsteps of the Lord? Are we willing to suffer abuse so that the Gospel may be proclaimed to all peoples, lands, and nations?
5. Our baptism initiated a contract between ourselves and God. God continually upholds his end of the bargain. How faithful have we been to God? Have we broken the contract through lack of initiative, effort, or faithfulness?
Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable
In today's Gospel, which concludes chapter 14 of Luke and is structurally parallel with Luke 13:31-35, Jesus contemplates the danger that many would-be disciples will find in their quest to be true followers of the Lord. When Jesus told the crowds and his disciples that he was on the road to Jerusalem they believed he was on his way to building an empire. Thus, so that all would know the reality of discipleship, Jesus, in the most vivid way possible, told the people that those who followed him were not on the road to worldly power and glory, but rather that they would be asked to sacrifice those things most treasured in life. Jesus is on the way to martyrdom and his followers must thus be prepared to leave everything behind and make their commitment to him as complete and as consuming as Christ's own devotion to his mission. True loyalty to Jesus comes at a high cost.
In this passage Jesus answers the question, "What must I do to be saved?" Throughout this Gospel, Luke presents his readers many different answers to this question. In this pericope, however, Jesus specifically tells the people who seek to be his followers what the demands and consequences of this path will be. Jesus is clear that the way of discipleship will not be easy. The Lord demands total and uncompromising commitment in three specific areas: (1) the willingness to leave family ties, (2) the willingness to face radical self-denial, and (3) the willingness to give up one's material possessions. Jesus states these conditions of discipleship within the context of the need for serious and no-nonsense deliberation about the costs of a commitment to Jesus. The journey is not to be undertaken lightly.
Jesus first demands that no personal relationship can come between him and any disciple. Jesus' ethic of love makes his words in verse 26 problematic and hard to hear. In Semitic hyperbole one exaggerates a contrast so that it can be seen more clearly. The word hate, used in many translations, does not mean anger or hostility, but rather indicates that if there is a conflict one's response to the demands of discipleship must take precedence over even the most sacred of human relationships. There is no duty higher than one's commitment to Jesus and the privilege of being his disciple.
The Lord then tells the crowd that they must be willing to bear the cross in order to follow his lead. Not only does Jesus in this demand ask that people accept, even embrace, the hurdles and obstacles of life, but that they must submit to his will. Christ is saying that insisting on one's own will and claiming the right to one's own life exclude one from being a true disciple. Bearing the cross is an act of perseverance and persistence through pain, but it is also an act of submission of one's will to that of the Lord.
Lastly, Jesus says that discipleship requires one to renounce all possessions; the necessary equipment for discipleship consists in having nothing. Jesus' words in verse 33 seem to have meant "take leave of" rather than discard all things. This interpretation fits well into Luke's understanding of shared goods that he describes in his second volume, The Acts of the Apostles, 2:42-47 and 4:32-37. Jesus' demand to forsake family and possessions may have had a very practical function in the lives of the first Christians. The Gospels clearly illustrate the difficult demands placed upon disciples who were an itinerant band in their following of the Lord. Thus, if one was to be a disciple it was practical to leave family and home and travel with minimal possessions from village to village. In order to follow one must be willing to accept Jesus' lifestyle and to suffer his same fate.
Neither Jesus nor Luke encouraged an unthinking, impulsive "leap of faith" into discipleship. Instead, they emphasized that one should reflect on what the act of commitment involves. The three conditions described in the pericope are repeated throughout Luke-Acts in a multitude of different images and terms. Thus, Luke makes clear that the decision to follow Jesus must be made consciously with full awareness of its implications.1
Jesus uses his favorite teaching technique of the parable to demonstrate the need for his disciples to reflect seriously upon their commitment to him and to ask if they are willing to pay the full price. Literary criticism of this whole pericope shows how the parables were strategically placed by Luke for emphasis. The parables have been "framed" by the three conditions for discipleship so as to demonstrate to the reader the significance of their message. Starting with the conditions, shifting to the parables, and then completing the conditions focuses the reader's attention on what the parables are saying. These twin parables teach the reader that it is not sufficient merely to want to be a disciple, nor is the attractiveness of being a disciple a sufficient basis for being a follower. One cannot be a true disciple until one knows what is involved -- namely that one must make a complete commitment to Christ and submit oneself to the will of Christ. Christ sought disciples who were willing to come to him on his terms, not theirs. Would-be followers had to understand that if Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders of the day, so would his followers be rebuffed. Thus, Jesus uses the twin parables to show the consequences of such a commitment.
The two parables are not equivalent in their demands or impact nor do they address the same groups. Failure in a project that incurs embarrassment cannot be equated with a failure in war. Some scholars say that the two parables were placed together on the basis of Proverbs 24:3-6 which describes Wisdom as building her house wisely and waging her war well. Others, suggesting that the difference between ridicule and surrender is insignificant, believe Luke intentionally put the parables together in order to concentrate on the common idea that rash and unreflective decisions will be disastrous to those who seek to be disciples. One must act with mature consideration, for a half-time disciple is unacceptable.
In the twin parables, which move from lesser to greater in consequence, Jesus uses a simple observation to teach a great lesson. A prudent person would not begin a project unless it could be completed nor would a king go to war with a smaller force if it could not stand against a stronger one. One should not embark on what one cannot finish or see to completion. Similarly, God did not enter the redemptive process without being prepared to complete it and Jesus did not set his direction for Jerusalem without being prepared to face the sacrifice that would be required of him there. Thus, no one should claim the name disciple without being prepared to forsake everything and follow in the Lord's footsteps. One must consider not only the demands to be made but also the consequences of discipleship.
Some scholars have provided additional interpretations to the twin parables. A small group of exegetes say that the parables apply to Israel. If this is true then they function to forecast the future to which Israel has been called, the fullness of which cannot be realized without deliberate and full commitment. Other Scripture experts believe the parables do not function to support the renunciation of worldly goods and ambitions, but rather the stories serve as a call for integrity, forethought, and single-minded dedication to purpose.
Luke 14:25-33 serves to challenge our level of discipleship. The conditions for discipleship are clear; nothing can come between ourselves and God. But we cannot enter this commitment without serious consideration of its consequences. If we follow Jesus' path closely and calculate the outlay of discipleship completely, then we will be ready to claim the name Christian and join in building God's kingdom in our world.
Context Of The Parable
Context In The Church Year
There is no more basic message in the Scriptures than Jesus' challenge to his disciples, "Follow me." Every moment of every day is an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Lord by following more closely and devoutly along the path that Christ has blazed. Discipleship did not end with the apostles, but rather continues today, in ways that are both old and new. The basics of being a follower of Jesus will never change, but the complexities of contemporary life make the challenge greater each year. In a world which is not highly favorable to what we profess and believe we need constant reminders of the Christian commitment to be disciples. The road may not be easy, but few things that are important and valuable in our world are obtained without concerted effort. Thus, the message of discipleship is timely and at the same time timeless.
The twin parables of the tower builder and the warring king provide another important question -- are we ready to accept the consequences that come to those who profess faith in Jesus? In a world where options are almost endless and opportunities abound for our time and talent, there is a definite need to take a moment and reflect upon what price we are willing to pay to be a disciple of the Lord. The time we take now will help us be better prepared as the liturgical year begins to conclude and we consider more closely our readiness to meet the Lord at the end of our days.
Context With Other Gospels
The twin parables of the tower builder and warring king, stories that might succinctly be titled "Fools at work and war," have no parallels in other Gospels. They are thus ascribed to the Lucan "L" tradition; there is no reason to believe that these parables were part of "Q" and omitted by Matthew. The message that these parables present, namely the need to calculate the cost and consequences of being a disciple, is indirectly part of the Gospel message through Jesus' warnings that one cannot serve two masters; one cannot give oneself to God and money.
The saying of verses 26 and 27, where Jesus describes the first two conditions for discipleship, renunciation of family and bearing the cross, are from the "Q" tradition and paralleled in Matthew 10:37-38. Mark 8:34 speaks of the need to carry the cross, but the wording is sufficiently changed to warrant any connection with the "Q" tradition. These verses are also found, in altered form, in the Gospel of Thomas, sayings 55 and 101.
Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: Deuteronomy 30:15-20. Moses was given a very difficult task in leading the Israelites from bondage in Egypt to freedom in the promised land. Not only was the physical environment a challenge, but more especially Moses was forced to deal with a rebellious and often disloyal community. They grumbled against him on numerous occasions, they questioned his leadership, and most problematically they often turned away from Yahweh and sought answers and consolations in other deities. Moses' challenge was one few of us would be willing to undertake.
As a means to admonish, teach, and warn the people Moses comes to them and asks that they make a choice. Will they obey the commandments and walk in his ways or will they choose another path? Moses is clear that the way of the Lord leads to life and prosperity through the blessings God will bestow on the new land while any other path will bring death and doom. Thus he places the decision before the people. He exhorts them to choose life, which means the way of God.
Moses' exhortation to the people parallels closely the warning presented by Jesus in the Gospel. Moses says there is only one way that leads to life while Jesus suggests we cannot allow things or people to stand as obstacles in our progress toward God. Furthermore, Jesus says there will be consequences for following this more difficult path, but the earthly price of discipleship will be rewarded in the resurrection of the righteous. The challenge for us is to choose the correct path and make every effort to stay on it -- despite the consequences.
Second Lesson: Philemon 1-21. Saint Paul's Letter to Philemon, the shortest in the Pauline corpus, presents an important message about the courage to do the right thing and not count the cost. As described by Father James T. Burtchaell, CSC, in his book Philemon's Problem, Philemon, a well-to-do Christian from Colossae, has a major decision to make concerning his slave Onesimus, who had escaped his master's service and now is a Christian. Paul asks Philemon to take Onesimus back, not as a slave, but rather as a beloved brother in the Lord. Philemon's problem is thus a decision -- does he take him back as a good Christian would and suffer the abuse of his fellow patricians, who would view his action as a violation of the prevailing social structure, or does he continue to hold him as a slave and punish him for his indiscretions. The latter action would win praise from those on the outside, but scorn from Christians.
Jesus in the Gospel asks us to contemplate the same basic question. Are we willing to stand up for what we believe and not worry about the consequences or will we "cave in" to contemporary society and take the easy way out? Have we sat down and calculated the cost and consequences of being a Christian in today's world, or have we buried our heads in the sand? We are challenged to face and answer the question for ourselves.
____________
1. This passage contains a strong, but highly implicit Christology. Jesus clearly demands that disciples must place their priority with him over and above all other people and things. Even the basic sociological unit of society, the family, must not take priority over one's commitment to Jesus. Being a Christian is not primarily about adherence to a particular ethical teaching, but rather, more than anything else entails following Jesus.
Theme
What are we willing to pay to be disciples of Jesus? That is the central question posed by the Lord in this series of sayings and twin parables that collectively ask us to contemplate the consequences of following in the footsteps of Jesus. In a world where demands of our time, energy, and resources always seem to increase, we are challenged to reflect upon how much effort we have made to truly be disciples. Have we been answering the call or hiding from God? The cost of discipleship is high; it is our very life. But the reward of being a true follower of the Lord cannot be measured. As Saint Paul says (1 Corinthians 2:9), "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him." Today's Gospel requires us to ask, "What am I willing to pay to be a disciple of the Lord?" What will be your answer?
Spiritual Food For The Journey
Consciously or unconsciously we spend much of our life preparing for the future. In the world of education we are constantly moving forward, learning more, and preparing for future challenges. We progress from primary to secondary, and, if we are fortunate, to college level education. After our initial education is completed we are still learning and growing. Many working people make the conscious decision to return to school to add skills to their repertoire and, thereby, enhance their marketability. We attend workshops, seminars, lectures, and professional conferences. In each of these instances, almost without thinking about it, we calculate the cost and determine the consequences of our actions. We won't take a certain course of study if we believe it is beyond our capability. We will only take the night class or attend the seminar if we have sufficient time to give and money to spend. We think long and hard about the things we might do and the things in which we will participate. We don't want to be ill-prepared or caught off guard. We knowingly or unknowingly calculate the consequences of our actions. To approach education in any other way seems foolish.
Few people today will "go out on a limb" and make a large purchase without figuring their ability to pay for the item or service. We may have to save for some period of time or make a decision that our resources will be spent on this one item at the expense of others. We do not want to get "in over our heads" and thus we measure the outlay before we commit ourselves.
We spend a lot of time preparing for and fostering personal relationships. Those who prepare for marriage do so with much caution and reflection. One would never think of professing public vows of commitment to another individual without long and serious reflection upon the decision. In most places and with many Christian denominations a marriage preparation program is used to assist couples in looking at the many issues they may face as husband and wife. Couples take whatever time is necessary to consider the consequences of their actions before entering a permanent commitment. Most people, as well, consider what the cost of a special friendship will be. We may lose some of our autonomy; we may have to back off from some of our own ideas, wants, or desires. We usually do so gladly, because we have figured that the cost is worth it. What we will receive is greater than the sacrifice we make.
With all the preparation and calculation we make with respect to education, the purchase of things, and our personal relationships it is rather sad that we often spend little time reflecting and measuring the consequences of being a follower of Jesus. It is not easy to be a disciple of the Lord; the barriers to our progress are high and numerous. The famous British writer G. K. Chesterton has stated the situation, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried." Thus, in order to negotiate through the maze of hurdles that confront us we must take some time to figure out what it will cost to run the race. What will be the consequences of our discipleship? Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that the cost of discipleship would be our whole lives. There are no shortcuts to salvation; we must walk the complete road. Jesus says the road less traveled will be narrow and rocky and we will find many crosses along the way, but if we calculate the outlay now, we will be ready for any eventuality. Therefore, let us take the time today to reflect on what it means to be a disciple of the Lord, not count the cost, and in the end find eternal life.
Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life
Sermon Openings
1. In his book Awareness, Jesuit Father Anthony de Mello tells the following short story. One day a man went to his son's room and knocked on the door. "John, wake up, it is time for you to go to school!" From inside, the answer came back, "I don't want to go to school, Dad." The father was persistent, knocked again, and said, "You must go to school." The answer again came back, "I don't want to go to school!" "Why not?" asked the father. "There are three reasons," came the reply. "First, I find school boring; second, the kids tease me terribly. Third I simply hate school." Then the father responded, "You have given me three reasons for not going to school, I will give you three that say you must attend. First, it is your duty; second you are 45 years old; and third, you are the principal."
Father de Mello's story and the thesis of his book is that people today spend too much time hiding from the truth; they want to run away and play with their toys. People today are happy to put their head in the sand, like the proverbial ostrich, and refuse to see the reality before them. People are unaware of the duties and responsibilities of their life; in many ways people are unwilling to pay the price for what they want. They simply want things and refuse to accept the consequences of their desires and needs.
The Christian life well-lived will ask much of us. We cannot run away and hope that things will magically be made whole and new. That is the dream world of John who at 45 years of age refused to accept the reality of his life. Today's Gospel presents us with a great challenge and asks what price am I willing to pay to be a disciple of Jesus. Am I ready to wake up, do my duty, and not count the cost?
2. In June, 1958, Bishop Fulton Sheen, then at the height of his popularity and fame through his television ministry, public speaking, and numerous books and essays, gave a commencement address which spoke of our need to embrace Jesus' cross. In his speech the bishop spoke about the heightened state of the cold war, existent since the end of World War II, between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union was characterized by the bishop as a nation under the weight of a cross, but with no Christ to bear it. The bishop referred to the severe plight of Soviet society which continued thirteen years after the end of the War. During the war thirty million people died; almost half were Russians. Besides the great carnage of death and injury wrought on the Soviet people, scars were still present in economic hardship, lack of food, clothing, and shelter, and a totalitarian government which opted entirely for the Communist elite. The Soviet Union was a nation that bore a great cross, but it was done without the aid of Christ, who was a non-entity in the ideology of atheism which the Communist government promoted.
The 1950s in the United States experienced a much different picture. Bishop Sheen characterized our nation as a country with Christ but no cross. America, which suffered the least damage to its people and way of life of any of the major belligerents, emerged from the war as the leader of the free world. Economically the country saw a boom period; the American people clearly saw themselves atop the pack in the race for productivity and higher standard of living. Christianity in the 1950s also experienced a flood tide of enthusiasm. Churches experienced high water marks in several measurable areas. Attendance at Sunday services was never greater; more children were attending Christian schools than ever before. Vocations to the ministry reached their apex as well. The United States had Christ, as evidenced by religious practice, but it had no cross.
Bishop Sheen's comparison was used to show, as the words of Jesus indicate, that there is a need for the world to have both the cross and Christ; one without the other results in a state of incompleteness that must be satisfied. The life of Jesus and the message of Scripture tell us that the cross will be part of our lives and that we must embrace it, rather than run away or reject it, in order to find eternal life. It seems that this is all wrong, backwards, and foolish. But the reality is, as Jesus reminds us, "Unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much fruit" (John 12:24).
The primary example of one who embraced the cross was Jesus himself. Unlike the synoptic Gospels which see the great triumph of Jesus in his resurrection, Saint John's narrative portrays Jesus' greatest triumph, his highest exaltation, in his crucifixion and painful death. On Good Friday Jesus was not taken to the cross in handcuffs. Rather he went voluntarily; he chose to die so that we could have eternal life. If Jesus had not embraced the cross our existence would be meaningless. Jesus knew his future fate and professed it openly. The Gospels tell us that on three different occasions he predicted his ignominious death, yet he continued the journey toward his final fate in Jerusalem. Jesus knew, as the author of Ecclesiastes (3:1-2) tells us, "There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to be born, and a time to die." His death brought life for us, but this great paradox of our faith was not possible without his embrace of the cross.
Jesus tells his disciples in today's Gospel passage that there are three conditions to discipleship, the central one of which is bearing the cross. We should not look for the cross, for it will find us. But we must be ready to embrace it, learn from the pain it brings, so that we will be better able to face the future and assist in building the Kingdom of God on earth.
Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder
1. We often go to the store and ask ourselves if we have enough money to purchase an item that we want. We make a judgment on our ability to finance the purchase. How carefully do we scrutinize the decisions we make pertinent to our relationship with God?
2. When trials and difficulties come our way what has been our reaction? Do we run and hide hoping that things will miraculously get better? Do we seek some easy way out of the situation? Can we possibly, on the other hand, meet the challenges head on, negotiate them, and in the process gain strength for future trials?
3. How do we set our priorities in life? Where does our relationship with God fall in our equation of life -- on top, in the middle, or somewhere else? Do we allow things and people to get in between ourselves and God?
4. Do we understand the consequences of being a Christian in our world and are we ready to pick up the cross and walk in the footsteps of the Lord? Are we willing to suffer abuse so that the Gospel may be proclaimed to all peoples, lands, and nations?
5. Our baptism initiated a contract between ourselves and God. God continually upholds his end of the bargain. How faithful have we been to God? Have we broken the contract through lack of initiative, effort, or faithfulness?
Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable
In today's Gospel, which concludes chapter 14 of Luke and is structurally parallel with Luke 13:31-35, Jesus contemplates the danger that many would-be disciples will find in their quest to be true followers of the Lord. When Jesus told the crowds and his disciples that he was on the road to Jerusalem they believed he was on his way to building an empire. Thus, so that all would know the reality of discipleship, Jesus, in the most vivid way possible, told the people that those who followed him were not on the road to worldly power and glory, but rather that they would be asked to sacrifice those things most treasured in life. Jesus is on the way to martyrdom and his followers must thus be prepared to leave everything behind and make their commitment to him as complete and as consuming as Christ's own devotion to his mission. True loyalty to Jesus comes at a high cost.
In this passage Jesus answers the question, "What must I do to be saved?" Throughout this Gospel, Luke presents his readers many different answers to this question. In this pericope, however, Jesus specifically tells the people who seek to be his followers what the demands and consequences of this path will be. Jesus is clear that the way of discipleship will not be easy. The Lord demands total and uncompromising commitment in three specific areas: (1) the willingness to leave family ties, (2) the willingness to face radical self-denial, and (3) the willingness to give up one's material possessions. Jesus states these conditions of discipleship within the context of the need for serious and no-nonsense deliberation about the costs of a commitment to Jesus. The journey is not to be undertaken lightly.
Jesus first demands that no personal relationship can come between him and any disciple. Jesus' ethic of love makes his words in verse 26 problematic and hard to hear. In Semitic hyperbole one exaggerates a contrast so that it can be seen more clearly. The word hate, used in many translations, does not mean anger or hostility, but rather indicates that if there is a conflict one's response to the demands of discipleship must take precedence over even the most sacred of human relationships. There is no duty higher than one's commitment to Jesus and the privilege of being his disciple.
The Lord then tells the crowd that they must be willing to bear the cross in order to follow his lead. Not only does Jesus in this demand ask that people accept, even embrace, the hurdles and obstacles of life, but that they must submit to his will. Christ is saying that insisting on one's own will and claiming the right to one's own life exclude one from being a true disciple. Bearing the cross is an act of perseverance and persistence through pain, but it is also an act of submission of one's will to that of the Lord.
Lastly, Jesus says that discipleship requires one to renounce all possessions; the necessary equipment for discipleship consists in having nothing. Jesus' words in verse 33 seem to have meant "take leave of" rather than discard all things. This interpretation fits well into Luke's understanding of shared goods that he describes in his second volume, The Acts of the Apostles, 2:42-47 and 4:32-37. Jesus' demand to forsake family and possessions may have had a very practical function in the lives of the first Christians. The Gospels clearly illustrate the difficult demands placed upon disciples who were an itinerant band in their following of the Lord. Thus, if one was to be a disciple it was practical to leave family and home and travel with minimal possessions from village to village. In order to follow one must be willing to accept Jesus' lifestyle and to suffer his same fate.
Neither Jesus nor Luke encouraged an unthinking, impulsive "leap of faith" into discipleship. Instead, they emphasized that one should reflect on what the act of commitment involves. The three conditions described in the pericope are repeated throughout Luke-Acts in a multitude of different images and terms. Thus, Luke makes clear that the decision to follow Jesus must be made consciously with full awareness of its implications.1
Jesus uses his favorite teaching technique of the parable to demonstrate the need for his disciples to reflect seriously upon their commitment to him and to ask if they are willing to pay the full price. Literary criticism of this whole pericope shows how the parables were strategically placed by Luke for emphasis. The parables have been "framed" by the three conditions for discipleship so as to demonstrate to the reader the significance of their message. Starting with the conditions, shifting to the parables, and then completing the conditions focuses the reader's attention on what the parables are saying. These twin parables teach the reader that it is not sufficient merely to want to be a disciple, nor is the attractiveness of being a disciple a sufficient basis for being a follower. One cannot be a true disciple until one knows what is involved -- namely that one must make a complete commitment to Christ and submit oneself to the will of Christ. Christ sought disciples who were willing to come to him on his terms, not theirs. Would-be followers had to understand that if Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders of the day, so would his followers be rebuffed. Thus, Jesus uses the twin parables to show the consequences of such a commitment.
The two parables are not equivalent in their demands or impact nor do they address the same groups. Failure in a project that incurs embarrassment cannot be equated with a failure in war. Some scholars say that the two parables were placed together on the basis of Proverbs 24:3-6 which describes Wisdom as building her house wisely and waging her war well. Others, suggesting that the difference between ridicule and surrender is insignificant, believe Luke intentionally put the parables together in order to concentrate on the common idea that rash and unreflective decisions will be disastrous to those who seek to be disciples. One must act with mature consideration, for a half-time disciple is unacceptable.
In the twin parables, which move from lesser to greater in consequence, Jesus uses a simple observation to teach a great lesson. A prudent person would not begin a project unless it could be completed nor would a king go to war with a smaller force if it could not stand against a stronger one. One should not embark on what one cannot finish or see to completion. Similarly, God did not enter the redemptive process without being prepared to complete it and Jesus did not set his direction for Jerusalem without being prepared to face the sacrifice that would be required of him there. Thus, no one should claim the name disciple without being prepared to forsake everything and follow in the Lord's footsteps. One must consider not only the demands to be made but also the consequences of discipleship.
Some scholars have provided additional interpretations to the twin parables. A small group of exegetes say that the parables apply to Israel. If this is true then they function to forecast the future to which Israel has been called, the fullness of which cannot be realized without deliberate and full commitment. Other Scripture experts believe the parables do not function to support the renunciation of worldly goods and ambitions, but rather the stories serve as a call for integrity, forethought, and single-minded dedication to purpose.
Luke 14:25-33 serves to challenge our level of discipleship. The conditions for discipleship are clear; nothing can come between ourselves and God. But we cannot enter this commitment without serious consideration of its consequences. If we follow Jesus' path closely and calculate the outlay of discipleship completely, then we will be ready to claim the name Christian and join in building God's kingdom in our world.
Context Of The Parable
Context In The Church Year
There is no more basic message in the Scriptures than Jesus' challenge to his disciples, "Follow me." Every moment of every day is an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Lord by following more closely and devoutly along the path that Christ has blazed. Discipleship did not end with the apostles, but rather continues today, in ways that are both old and new. The basics of being a follower of Jesus will never change, but the complexities of contemporary life make the challenge greater each year. In a world which is not highly favorable to what we profess and believe we need constant reminders of the Christian commitment to be disciples. The road may not be easy, but few things that are important and valuable in our world are obtained without concerted effort. Thus, the message of discipleship is timely and at the same time timeless.
The twin parables of the tower builder and the warring king provide another important question -- are we ready to accept the consequences that come to those who profess faith in Jesus? In a world where options are almost endless and opportunities abound for our time and talent, there is a definite need to take a moment and reflect upon what price we are willing to pay to be a disciple of the Lord. The time we take now will help us be better prepared as the liturgical year begins to conclude and we consider more closely our readiness to meet the Lord at the end of our days.
Context With Other Gospels
The twin parables of the tower builder and warring king, stories that might succinctly be titled "Fools at work and war," have no parallels in other Gospels. They are thus ascribed to the Lucan "L" tradition; there is no reason to believe that these parables were part of "Q" and omitted by Matthew. The message that these parables present, namely the need to calculate the cost and consequences of being a disciple, is indirectly part of the Gospel message through Jesus' warnings that one cannot serve two masters; one cannot give oneself to God and money.
The saying of verses 26 and 27, where Jesus describes the first two conditions for discipleship, renunciation of family and bearing the cross, are from the "Q" tradition and paralleled in Matthew 10:37-38. Mark 8:34 speaks of the need to carry the cross, but the wording is sufficiently changed to warrant any connection with the "Q" tradition. These verses are also found, in altered form, in the Gospel of Thomas, sayings 55 and 101.
Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: Deuteronomy 30:15-20. Moses was given a very difficult task in leading the Israelites from bondage in Egypt to freedom in the promised land. Not only was the physical environment a challenge, but more especially Moses was forced to deal with a rebellious and often disloyal community. They grumbled against him on numerous occasions, they questioned his leadership, and most problematically they often turned away from Yahweh and sought answers and consolations in other deities. Moses' challenge was one few of us would be willing to undertake.
As a means to admonish, teach, and warn the people Moses comes to them and asks that they make a choice. Will they obey the commandments and walk in his ways or will they choose another path? Moses is clear that the way of the Lord leads to life and prosperity through the blessings God will bestow on the new land while any other path will bring death and doom. Thus he places the decision before the people. He exhorts them to choose life, which means the way of God.
Moses' exhortation to the people parallels closely the warning presented by Jesus in the Gospel. Moses says there is only one way that leads to life while Jesus suggests we cannot allow things or people to stand as obstacles in our progress toward God. Furthermore, Jesus says there will be consequences for following this more difficult path, but the earthly price of discipleship will be rewarded in the resurrection of the righteous. The challenge for us is to choose the correct path and make every effort to stay on it -- despite the consequences.
Second Lesson: Philemon 1-21. Saint Paul's Letter to Philemon, the shortest in the Pauline corpus, presents an important message about the courage to do the right thing and not count the cost. As described by Father James T. Burtchaell, CSC, in his book Philemon's Problem, Philemon, a well-to-do Christian from Colossae, has a major decision to make concerning his slave Onesimus, who had escaped his master's service and now is a Christian. Paul asks Philemon to take Onesimus back, not as a slave, but rather as a beloved brother in the Lord. Philemon's problem is thus a decision -- does he take him back as a good Christian would and suffer the abuse of his fellow patricians, who would view his action as a violation of the prevailing social structure, or does he continue to hold him as a slave and punish him for his indiscretions. The latter action would win praise from those on the outside, but scorn from Christians.
Jesus in the Gospel asks us to contemplate the same basic question. Are we willing to stand up for what we believe and not worry about the consequences or will we "cave in" to contemporary society and take the easy way out? Have we sat down and calculated the cost and consequences of being a Christian in today's world, or have we buried our heads in the sand? We are challenged to face and answer the question for ourselves.
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1. This passage contains a strong, but highly implicit Christology. Jesus clearly demands that disciples must place their priority with him over and above all other people and things. Even the basic sociological unit of society, the family, must not take priority over one's commitment to Jesus. Being a Christian is not primarily about adherence to a particular ethical teaching, but rather, more than anything else entails following Jesus.
