Disciple - a Watch of the Night with Wisdom of Heart

 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: September 04, 2022

Readings: Wisdom 9:13–18; Psalm 90:3–6, 12–17; Philemon 1:9–10, 12–17; Luke 14:25–33

To listen to the audio-video reflections on YOUTUBE please click on this link: https://youtu.be/nerJ9hfhw5c

This week, our Hindu brothers and sisters celebrated the Ganesh Chaturthi, the birth of Lord Ganesh. Unlike in previous years, the celebration of religious feasts today turning out to be sectarian, communal and violent. The controversies surrounding public grounds in which Ganesh idols are to be installed have left even the Indian judiciary divided. Instead of celebrating the religious feasts in harmony and peace, they are turning out to be divisive, hatred mongers, "us" and "they" division destroying the very fabric of who we are. The beautiful prayer for peace - sarve jana sukhinah bhavantu, "that all sentient beings be at peace" seems to have been forgotten even by the religious leaders themselves. In this context, we have very remarkable liturgical readings, inviting us to be watchful and be persons with the wisdom of the heart. In fact, Jesus is making very profound statements challenging us on the cost of discipleship that is what it means to be a true disciple of his Gospel.

1. Jesus - A person with wisdom of the heart

"Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way..." reads the first sentence of today’s gospel Luke 14:25–33. It means to anyone, to whoever wishes to be his disciple. We should remember that when Jesus began his teaching ministry he was just 30 years old. He wasn’t a singer or dramatist; he wasn’t a politician or an army General, he wasn’t even a priest or a Rabbi. Where did his stardom come from? Jesus’ lifestyle was simple but clear. He had a capacity to attract the crowds, he knew how to talk to people, he had healing hands which cured the infirmed, lepers and the blind, he had great energy which could energize the people who were like sheep without a shepherd. His words spoke the truth and the truth was real. 

Jesus' words had the power which came from above. His words had a deep meaning which healed them internally, evil spirits ran away from him. He had the capacity to captivate the imagination of the people. His stories and parables had a power to convey the message which hit not only the ears of the people who were listening by sitting around him but also those who were residing far away from him. That is why people came from the country and county side of Palestine. Perhaps we can ask a question for ourselves how many of us are ready to listen to Jesus? Are we ready for Jesus?

2. Jesus - Challenges conventional ways

I make this statement because many who followed Jesus were merely sensation seekers. The crowd was out to get something from Jesus, not altogether unlike some of those who today converge in large numbers wherever some modern "miracle" or "apparition" has been reported. And, indeed, how many of us look on God or Jesus as someone to turn to when we want something we cannot get ourselves? Jesus invites us first of all, to let go of what we love most in this life. Thus be ready to love God more, even at the expense of loved ones.   Secondly, Jesus offers us plans and resources in order to succeed. Thus we do not become like that man who built a tower without examining his resources. Thirdly, Jesus cautions us not to embark on an adventure if we are not prepared. To make things happen we need a well-drawn plan and commitment.

Jesus challenges us. With the people in today's Gospel Jesus suddenly stops in his tracks. He turns round and says words that were quite shocking to his hearers and sound pretty harsh to us too: "If anyone comes to me without hating father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and his own life, that person cannot be my follower/disciple" (Luke 14:26). The Jews, like a number of other ethnic communities, are recognized for their close family ties. What were they and what are we to make of such an extraordinary statement? And surely we have an incomprehensible contradiction here. Jesus, who tells us to love our enemies, now tells us to hate our nearest and dearest! Is this the same Jesus who cured the mother-in-law of Peter? The same Jesus who told the story of the Good Samaritan? The same Jesus who enjoyed the hospitality of his good friends, Mary and Martha? Jesus challenges continuously. 

3. Jesus - radical approach in every sense

Jesus is a radical person. Of all the gospels, Luke presents the following of Jesus in the most radical terms. In following Jesus, we have to go with him the whole way. We have to accept totally his way of seeing life and then putting that into practice in the way we live. It is inclusive. There cannot be, as is the case with practically all of us, a kind of wishy-washy compromise, trying to have our cake and eat it. In Jesus, we are given a new family, a new inheritance, made children of God, brothers and sisters in the Lord. That's why we should shed our castism and classism when we embrace Christianity. We should stop calling ourselves high caste Christians, Dalit Christians, Dalit Cardinal and so forth. In Christ, all our yesterdays have passed. We are free now, no longer slaves to the ties of our past lives. 

Jesus says, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). Being a disciple of Jesus means constantly making choices and of course making right choises. It is to have heart and mind of the master.  I suppose the majority of us follow a lifestyle largely dictated by the surrounding culture and our goals are the goals of that culture and, somewhere on the side, we try to fit in some aspects of Christian living. In most of our modern, urban societies that lifestyle is for the most part competitive, consumerist and materialistic. We would not want our Christianity to get in the way of that. But it is precisely to people like us that Jesus is speaking.

4. Jesus - following has a cost

We cannot take the words of Jesus literally on "hate". We have to "hate" our old selves, to detach ourselves from earthly things we rely too much upon. In other words, to choose our Lord above every person and possession. In order to follow our Lord Jesus, sometimes we may have to cut our family ties and obligations for the greater cause. Nothing should lead us to an excuse or an obstacle. The wisdom of our Lord is immense. ‘We are called to have love and compassion for every single person, irrespective of who they are or what their relationship may be to us. True love casts out fear. What Jesus is saying today is putting in another way what we have already seen in discussing other passages, such as, the story of the Good Samaritan and the Lord's Prayer. Namely, those who are truly disciples of Jesus recognise that, as children of one God, we all belong to one family, that we are all brothers and sisters to each other. Here our radicality and inclusive love must manifest. 

To sum up, as true followers of Jesus, we enter a new family where we recognize every person as a brother or sister. Family members are obviously included but so are others. There are times when the needs of others precede family concerns. At the same time, "Charity begins at home": this is very true and, in our day, there is often little love in the home and in communities. But charity does not end at home; it is constantly reaching out. Sometimes we have to challenge the wishes and expectations of our family and community for the cause of the gospel.

Questions for reflections

1. The call of Jesus is a call to his discipleship and not just a follower. What would you like to become, a disciple or a mere follower?
2. How do I accept people in my life especially those from our families and communities when things are not of my aptitude?
3. Am I prepared, am I ready to make sacrifices, am I ready to really listen to Jesus and act on his teaching? 

Prayer (based on Psalm 90)

         Dear Lord, in every age, you have been our refuge. For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,  that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours; thus prosper the work of our hands for us! We make this prayer in Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

September 02, 2022