Gospel: Luke 14: 25-33

The Gospel today speaks about discipleship and presents the conditions to be a disciple of Jesus. The Gospel is a beautiful example of how Luke transforms the words of Jesus into catechesis for the people. He says: “Great crowds accompanied him”. Jesus speaks to the great crowd, that is, He speaks to all: today He speaks for us. In the teaching which follows, Jesus gives the conditions for those who want to be His disciples.

 

First condition: to hate father and mother. The force of the word is typically Semitic. At the time of Jesus,  social and economic conditions led  families to become self contained. Closed in upon themselves, the families weakened life in the community. Jesus wants to reconstruct life in community.   He asks the family to open itself and  be united by the larger family of community. 

 

Second condition: to carry the cross. In order to understand the importance of this second requirement we have to look at the context in which Luke places this word of Jesus. Jesus is going toward Jerusalem to be crucified and to die. To follow Jesus and to carry the cross means to go with Him up to Jerusalem to be crucified with him, to risen with him.

 

Both of the two parables have the same objective: that people may think well before making a decision. For many people today, to be Christian is not a personal choice, and neither is it a decision for life, but a simple cultural phenomenon. Many people are Christians because they were born so, without ever  choosing their faith. The conclusion is only one: to be Christian, to follow Jesus, is something serious.