Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 14, 25-33
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them,
“If any one 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.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
Which 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?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him
and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’
Or 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?
But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”
Renounce to gain
1) Renouncing implies accepting that in life we can’t have everything. When you give something up, you gain more. It means letting go to obtain something. People who do not let go and take a risk think that they have it all, but when they realize it is not so, they feel anxiety. I am not talking of reducing everything solely to material things, but to situations in life. The moment of renunciation comes when we make a change in life, when we are going to take a leap in life, that is why it is so difficult to give up some things, people, or situations. We have the capacity to discern, and we must make a decision.
2) Disciples. Jesus points out all these renunciations in order to be his disciple. Following Him implies leaving behind some things that you have firmly ‘fixed’ in your life: aspects of your personality, habits, certain friends. Walking along the path of your life with Jesus requires certain renouncements, but at the same time other things are gained, and the one I like most is “peace”.
3) The Cross. Jesus tells us that throughout the process of learning to be His disciple there is a cross. Following Him doesn’t mean there is no cross. Yes, there is, but there is a team that will help you carry it and not drag it. This team is the Church! Dive into Life and let go of everything that prevents you from following Jesus. We will support and help you and we will encourage you and be there to welcome you. Let go of what imprisons or entraps you and makes you suffer, let yourself be embraced by us, the Church, and I am not just referring to the Church as a formal institution, but by the people who follow Jesus in the Church, those who have experienced His love and mercy and are there for you, to show you a new way.
God bless you and keep you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Always remember that Heaven is our goal!
