Difficulty in Following Christ
Jesus said:” Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:25-33
23rd SUNDAY Ordinary Time Cycle C
Jesus taught his followers never to hurt anyone. In fact, He preached love for all people especially enemies. On the other hand, Muhammad has long been misunderstood that in Koran 9:5 he ordered the assassination of enemies. Koran 60:8, in reality, preaches instead kindness and justice to all who worship another God. However, it cannot be denied that even in the Old Testament we find similar cruel commandments like in Leviticus 24:16 that says: kill anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord.
Definitely, it is very difficult to be a follower of Jesus. That is the message of today’s gospel. To follow Christ one must hate his family; one must renounce all his possessions; one must take up his cross.
Thus Jesus Himself advised His would-be-follower to calculate well the pros and cons before deciding to take up the way of the cross.
St. Paul in the second reading followed Christ the hard way calling himself in fact a prisoner for Jesus Philomenon 9-10, 12-17. In his other letter to Corinth he mentioned he had been stoned once, shipwrecked thrice, beaten with rods thrice, flogged five times, imprisoned, suffered hunger and cold.
The Wisdom writer also said that it is never easy to decipher God’s manner especially with regards to His demands Wisdom 9:13-18b. No wonder Jeremiah complained: “Lord you had me fooled in answering your call.” St. Teresa of Avila also told Jesus: “It’s not surprising that you have few friends if you treat them in this manner.”
A religious priest once left his congregation because his life had been too comfortable. He moved then to work in the poorest barrio in an isolated island. How about you? What discomfort have you gone through in tracing Christ’s path?
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