Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and spoke to them. ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
‘And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start making fun of him and saying, “Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish.” Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’
(Luke 14:25–33)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- The term ‘hate’ in this text should not be taken to mean literal hatred; it is more of an attitude towards anything that may hinder the single mindedness needed answer the call to discipleship.
- The Greek word ekklesia is used to describe the Church, and it means being called out from, or apart from, others. In today’s text, Jesus’ words suggest this understanding.
- A recurrent theme in the Gospel of Luke is that obsessive attachment to money or material wealth hinders a full and complete relationship with God. It distracts people from what is truly important in their lives.
Exploring the Word
Being a disciple of Jesus involves radical choices! You must be single minded in your commitment to Christ and ensure that nothing else takes precedence over him. The use of the word ‘hate’ in this passage is difficult to understand. Is Jesus calling his disciples to ‘hate’ those who love us? Surely, we glimpse something of the love of God through human love. The problem may stem from the Semitic languages, which lack some of the subtleties of modern idioms. In Hebrew, ‘to hate’ is the opposite of ‘to prefer’. In this text, Jesus is saying that we must prefer to seek God rather than earthly love or relationships. It is our relationship with God that is of utmost value. Furthermore, discipleship comes at a cost—and the cost is the cross. We must be prepared to go the whole way and not leave the task half done. Just as Jesus responded totally to the call of the Father, we too must respond totally to the call to follow him.
- How might prioritising Christ change your relationships with others?
- Will choosing to follow Jesus cause difficulties in your relationships with family and friends? How will you navigate these difficulties?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- What has your decision to follow Jesus cost you?
- Are there times when you feel that you may be unable to ‘finish the work’? What is hindering your progress in your journey?
- How well do you plan ahead for your life in eternity?
- Are there ‘crosses’ that you carry?
- Have you ever made a great personal sacrifice for another, or do you know of someone who has? Share your story. Many people ‘carry their cross’ daily; you could listen to their stories and explore some of the burdens that they bear. How do they cope? In what ways do you find this inspirational?
- Do something that ‘costs’ you this week. Identify someone who has a cross to carry and try helping them shoulder that burden, even in a small way.
- Use today’s gospel acclamation as your prayer this week:
Let your face shine on your servant,
and teach me your laws.
Sharing the tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
‘So, in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’ Jesus’ words are best understood as a readiness to renounce worldly wealth if it hinders us from following his way. His words imply the need for an attitude of detachment from worldly things. Those who take special vows to religious life within the Church have a strong tradition of completely renouncing personal belongings; however, all believers are invited to ponder the meaning of Christ’s words and our response to them.
The Church teaches that the earth and its riches belong to all people. No one has an intrinsic right to more of the earth’s goods than another. At the same time, everyone has the right to own property, to guarantee their personal freedom and dignity and to provide for their needs. We must manage the inherent tension between meeting our own material needs and the needs of all other people on earth. Our attitudes to our own property must be governed by moderation, concern for justice and a sense of solidarity with those who have less (see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§2426–2463).
- How difficult do you find controlling your desire to ‘have’ more rather than to ‘be’ more?
- What possessions mean the most to you? Why?
Symbols and images
The cross is the central symbol for all Christians. For the Romans, it was an instrument of torture and disgraceful death. Despite its association with shame and disgrace, the cross remains the greatest symbol of hope and vindication for followers of Jesus. It was through his death on a cross that Jesus triumphed over death itself.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- What programs does your community embrace that allow people to share their resources with those in need? You could discuss church agencies such as Caritas or St Vincent de Paul and explore how catechumens can support their work.
- Use a cross as the focus for prayer. Pray for each other as you come to understand the call to discipleship. Use the prayer of exorcism in the RCIA at §94E. A suitable song could be The Summons (GA 502).