The Great Cost of Being Christians

HOMILY: Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Luke 14:25-33

4 September 2022

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

Uso pa ba ngayon ang ligawan?  Dahil sa apps, parang puro “dating” na lang at wala nang “courting” na nagaganap. Meron pa ngang 3 dates lang, live in na pero no labels daw. Di daw mag boyfriend at lalong di mag-asawa. Kakaiba na ngayon, ano?  At least when I was younger, more so during the time of my parents, boys courted girls. Minsan, inaabot ng taon ang panliligaw. For a boy to get a girl to be his girlfriend, he makes all sorts of fantastic promises. “Ibibigay ko sa iyo ang buwan at mga bituin.” “Tatratuhin kitang prinsesa.” “Pakakasalan kita sa lahat ng simbahan.”  Hindi ba? Siyempre, madalas ang mga pangakong ito napapako pero ganyan ang panliligaw noon. In order to enamor a girl, the suitor lets her hear the sweetest of things to attract, to entice her… to win her heart over. 

Throughout the public ministry of Jesus, He invited people to follow Him — “Come, follow me!” (Mark 1:17) He performed healing miracles as proof of the restoration to wholeness and forgiveness of sins that He preached. And people were amazed and followed Him. Para din Siyang nanligaw sa mga taong matitigas ang mga puso noon.  Ok na sana pero minsan nagsasabi din Siya ng mga bagay na hindi kaaya-aya. Eh kung sabihin ng manliligaw mo na “umasa kang may panahong mag-aaway tayo at masasaktan ka.” O kaya “madalas busy ako sa trabaho kaya di kita palaging mate-text, matatawagan, madadalaw o mailalabas.” Nagsasabi lang siya ng totoo pero sasagutin mo pa ba? 

A few weeks ago we heard Jesus say it is more likely for a camel to pass thru the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In today’s gospel, He asks us to “carry our crosses” and says “If anyone 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.” (Luke 14:26) Hala! Ano na naman ito? Ang hirap di ba?  Bawal na bang mahalin ang pamilya at ang sarili? Nakaka-turn off di ba? When I came home from London last 2019, I wanted to be available to Mama who was very sick then. Having taken care of me all my life, I felt that now it was my turn to take care of her and be present for her. Isn’t this the right thing to do? Isn’t this the most Christian thing to do? 

Jesus’ condition for discipleship seems too extreme! Could it be possible for my “father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters” to get in the way of my following Jesus? And do I really have to reject even my “own life”? Isn’t Jesus asking too much? When Jesus speaks about hating our loved ones, carrying our crosses, and giving up everything, even our lives, He is telling us to let nothing – not even very good things like family and love – not even our lives – get in the way of our willingness to follow Him. Our first priority, in everything we do, must be our relationship with Jesus. Jesus knew that His disciples would face many setbacks and challenges if they agreed to commit their very lives to Him. He needed to prepare them that they may realize this too.

St. Luke’s depiction of Jesus’ call to discipleship has the most radical terms. In the earlier part of the Gospel according to St. Luke, Jesus says: “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross EVERY DAY and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) Thus, discipleship does not take us out of the ordinary. Instead discipleship is exercised in the mundane everyday existence that we lead.  If we look at the choices that we make each day, we’ll see the many ways we can and do to put God first. “Think of a construction company that refuses to use substandard materials to cut costs: what’s first here, profit…or honesty? Think of a sister who after their parents are gone chooses to take care of a paralysed sibling: what’s first here, her comfort… or love? Think of a teenager who stands up against an online bully, even though she risks being ostracised, bashed, blocked, unfriended: what’s first here, belongingness…or Integrity?” And so, there may be times – and they can be painful experiences – when we would have to reject family members who want us to join them in behaviour that is harmful, unjust or unloving to others. We cannot support family members who cheat in business, those who take advantage of others or those who disregard other people’s rights just to get what they want.

It is not only unattractive but also very difficult to be a Christian these days.  In Nicaragua, a bishop is presently under house arrest, priests are being harassed by the police, the Missionaries of Charity are said to have been expelled, and there have been numerous restrictions on worship. Sa ngayon, malaya tayong nakakapagsimba. Sinong makapagsasabi kung dumating din ang panahon na buwis-buhay ang pagsisimba sa Pilipinas? In situations like this, we need courage and God’s grace and gift of wisdom to strengthen our resolve to remain committed to our faith.  The reading from the Book of Wisdom emphasises this need for God’s gift of Wisdom in order to know God’s ways and to choose the path that leads to life. Psalm 90 invites us to fix our eyes on God amidst the changing world we live in and the impermanence of our lives here on earth. “Lord, teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.” (Psalm 90:12)

Jesus asks us for our total commitment. He isn’t looking for us to limit our commitment to attending Mass on Sundays and avoiding evil. He expects us to also live the Gospel and to announce the Good News to others, despite knowing that it will be at a great cost to us. As followers of Jesus, let us find strength in Him when our committment to the gospel is  challenged. Amidst the struggles of being a Christian in this world, let us continue to set our sights on heaven. May we stay focused on this our heavenly goal and not let anything earthly distract us from what we need to do as disciples of Jesus.