HARD DECISIONS

Wisdom 9:13-18; Philemon 9b-10, 12-17; Luke 14:25-33

Fr. William B. Bausch in his book A World of Stories narrates this incident. A busload of teenagers from the United States was returning from Mexico. They were on a mission to help the exceedingly poor people. They worked the whole day. In the evening they got back into the bus very tired and very, very hungry. They crossed the border back into the United States and stopped at a restaurant for dinner and waited. They waited for a very long time. Finally, one of the boys went over to the waitress and asked if they could be served. The waitress said that she would serve them, but they – pointing to two black teenagers among the group – would have to eat at the bus. The teenagers looked at each other, and one of them finally said: “Well, we weren’t hungry anyway” and they went back into the bus.

The simple and courageous gesture of the teenagers reflects the spirit of the Gospel that challenges us to take hard decisions in life. Jesus presented three challenges to his disciples: first, though paradoxical, to hate; second, to take up the cross; and third, to renounce all possessions. The key to understand the meaning of these three challenges is found in the first verse of the gospel passage that we read today: “Great crowds were travelling with him”.

Jesus was a super star of his time. He was a celebrity. He had the magnetic power of attracting huge crowds. Jesus captured the public imagination and he was a sensation among the people. The people gathered around him to listen to his new and radical message of forgiving love. They admired the power of his person and authority of his message. They were drawn to him because of his healing miracles. The common folk found in him a liberator who would re-establish the political dynasty of Israel. The mind-set of the people to be sensation seekers and the expectation of a political Messiah provoked Jesus to address the crowds.

The first challenge is to hate our parents, brothers, sisters and even our own life. This challenge is not compatible with the teaching of Jesus to love our enemies. It contradicts the prayer of Jesus: “Father, forgive them!” This challenge goes against the life style of Jesus. He loved his mother, he built a lasting friendship with Martha and Mary and he reached out to everyone in love. Hatred has no place in Jesus’ life. Therefore, the words of Jesus cannot be taken literally. Jesus intended to tell his prospective disciples that whoever wishes to follow his way must move beyond the biological boundaries of family and ethnic relationships. On the other hand, the disciples are called upon to make “Relationships of Choices”. No person could be excluded from the heart of a disciple. No person could be ignored for racial, social and political reasons. Hence, hating our parents, brothers, sisters and life would mean learning to love with the heart of God. This is beautifully explained in the second reading. Paul appeals to Philemon to accept Onesimus, not as a slave, but as a brother. In the new relationship of choices “there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28).

The second challenge it to take up the cross and follow Jesus. This is the core of the issue. Jesus expected his people to move beyond sensations and to understand the true meaning of his mission. He realised that the people were overwhelmed with passion. They welcomed him with shouts of joy as he entered Jerusalem on a donkey’s back. Yet, they turned their backs on him when he staggered along the streets of Jerusalem with a heavy cross. At that moment, every miracle, every healing and every deed of compassion was blotted out of their minds. They joined hands with the religious and political leaders and cried out: “Crucify him, crucify him” when Jesus stood all alone misjudged and misunderstood. Therefore, to taking up the cross would signify understanding the heart and mission of Jesus. It would mean sharing the vision of Jesus to proclaim the reign of God and willing to pay a price for it.

The third challenge is to renounce all possessions. This challenge goes with one of the sayings of Jesus: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Lk 12:34). It is very difficult to give away possessions, because life is defined by not we are, but by what we have. Yet, if one desires to be a disciple, then, one has to learn to part with everyone and everything. We have to give up ownership of persons and property. All that we are is a precious gift of God to us. Therefore, the only priority in our life must be Jesus. St. Paul has the courage to say: “I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil 3:8).

Jesus reinforced his three challenges with two parables. The first parable is about building a tower and the second parable is about going to battle. In both these parables the message is the same: “To Count the Cost”. Therefore, being a disciple is not a sensation; it is not a wild fantasy or a soft option. Discipleship is a hard decision and a commitment of life. Discipleship is a Partnership Programme. It involves partnering with Jesus and persons of goodwill in making the Good News of liberating love available to all peoples. The partnership attitude is reflected in the prayer of St. Theresa: “Christ has no body on earth but yours; no hands but yours; no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he is to fill the world with compassion. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which he is to bless now.

The three challenges to hate, to carry the cross and to renounce all possessions must not embarrass or shock us. Instead, these challenges must motivate us to bring the Good News of God’s liberating love and unconditional forgiveness to every human person through little gestures, unnoticed tenderness, random acts of kindness, vibrations of peace, opening our hearts to other, expanding our perspectives and listening to God’s messages in the everyday happenings of our lives. Let us listen to a story that brought Good News to an elderly lady who was a widow.

The pastor of a church received a letter marked: “Please give to Harry the usher”. It was handed over to Harry and this is what the letter said: “I’m Gertrude - Gertrude at the 10 o’clock mass every Sunday. I’m writing to ask a favour. I don’t know the priests too well, but somehow I feel close to you. I don’t know how you got to know my first name, but every Sunday morning you smile and greet me by name and we exchange a few words: how bad the weather is, how much you like my hat, and how I am late on a particular Sunday. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to remember an old woman, for the smiles, for your consideration, for your thoughtfulness. Now for the favour: I am dying. Harry, my husband has been dead for sixteen years and the kids are scattered. It is very important to me that when they bring me to church the last time, you will be there to say, “Hello, Gert, good to see you”. If you are there, Harry, I will feel assured that your warm hospitality will be duplicated in my new home in heaven – with love and gratitude: Gert.

Prayer

Abba Father, give us the courage to create relationships of choice, accept the challenges of life and imitate Jesus in living a simple life.

In Jesus’ Name we pray!

EASTER DAILY REFLECTIONS

RESILIENT IN SPIRIT

Acts 16:1-10; Jn 15:18-21

The Spirit of God is once again directing the mission of the apostles according to the plan of God. Paul reached Derbe and Lystra and he found a disciple Timothy, who would accompany him in his missionary journey. Timothy’s mother was Jewish, a believer, and his father, Greek. It is very remarkable to note that Paul has Timothy circumcised. In Luke’s perception circumcision was part of the Jewish ethos as well as their ancestral commitment to God. Luke makes it clear to the readers that opening the door of freedom to the Gentiles is not closing the doors to the Jewish Christians. However, circumcision has a cultural value rather than a soteriological value. Besides, it should be observed that Paul’s commitment to the Gentile mission is not an abandonment of his commitment to Judaism.

The human efforts of Paul and Timothy is re-oriented by the Holy Spirit. They travelled to the Phrygian and Galatian territory because they have been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia. Once again, the missionary pair wanted to go to Bithynia, but the Spirit of God directed them to Traos. Surrendering ourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit would lead to surprises. Paul, like Peter, has a vision. For Paul, it is a Macedonian man requesting him to come and preach to them. This inaugurates the mission of Paul and his companion, Timothy, in Europe. A Spirit-guided mission always bears fruits and is full of new and unexpected turns.

Jesus had instructed the disciples on the fundamental significance of abiding in him (Jn 15:1-11). Abiding, which points to the oneness of the disciples with Jesus, is the cause for Peace, Joy and Fruitfulness. In the present context, Jesus speaks of hatred, rejection, persecution and death. Jesus is confronted by a hostile audience. They do not accept Jesus as the One sent by the Father, nor do they recognize the works of Jesus having its source in the Father. They hate, both, Jesus and the Father. Jesus taught his people the dynamics of relating with God, which they rejected (Jn 9:28-29). The hatred of the people intensified their determination to put Jesus to death (Jn 11:53).

We observe an intrinsic conflict between Jesus and the world. The world would hate and persecute the disciples because they belonged to Jesus and listened to his word. However, Jesus had chosen the disciples out of the world and warned them that they would meet the same fate like Jesus. The fundamental reason for hating and persecuting Jesus and his disciples is that the world has rejected the Father, who has sent Jesus into the world. It is crystal clear that anyone, who follows the path of Jesus, abides in him and makes the priorities of Jesus their personal priority would be persecuted by those who do not share the values of Jesus and his Gospel. Hence, in a hostile situation, we need to hold firm to the faith that Jesus is always with us. He is a model victim. He has experienced every form of imaginable torture and persecution. The experience of Jesus gives us a sense of hope and fills us with a spirit of resilience.

Prayer

Abba Father, when we are surrounded by hostility and victimized for reasons known and unknown, help us to hold on firmly to your gentle hands.

In Jesus’ Name we pray!