Conditions to Follow Jesus I
By Abba Jimmy (Theoloscience)
In this passage from Saint Luke (Luke 14:25–33), Jesus sets out the demands that come with the radical commitment of those who want to follow Christ.
The first condition to follow Jesus demands a commitment to Him greater/more significant than the commitment that unites us to our family. Indeed, Jesus practiced what he preached.
But following Jesus does not mean breaking the ties with the family forever. In effect, Jesus does not want us to use family ties or any other family activity that requires our presence as excuses for not going to serve him when he calls us. It is as if Jesus told us, do not use your family ties as an excuse not to evangelize when I am calling you.
The reference that Jesus makes to “hate” our parents and brothers was a Jewish saying that used hyperbole in language. Hating our family as a condition for following Jesus is to indicate PREFERENCE.
In the language, hyperbole is called the exaggeration itself of something.
“Leah was hated” (Gen 29:30) means that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah.
The disciples must love Jesus more than their families and their own life. But, of course, the disciples also have to love their family and themselves. Remember God’s Law: “Honor your father and your mother” and the commandment of Christ: Love God with all your mind, heart, soul, and neighbor as yourself.
The second condition for following Jesus is to take up the cross and be willing to sacrifice one’s life if necessary. This condition is so radical that mature disciples know the cost of following Jesus. So, there should be nothing that prevents us from being with Jesus — if the most precious thing is the eternal life that Jesus promised us, who and what can stop us from going with Jesus?
And Jesus supports his teaching with two short parables.
The first parable deals with our financial capacity. Before committing ourselves to Jesus, we must be sure that we can finish what we started. Otherwise, others will mock or laugh at us for having left the work we started halfway unfinished. Jesus does not like mediocrity. Either all or nothing. But before embracing everything, we must be entirely sure that we will reach the end of the race.
Before we commit ourselves to Jesus in the tasks of the new evangelization or some other service ministry, we must sit down to assess our aptitude and willingness to follow Jesus from start to finish. When we commit ourselves to Jesus, we should not make this decision lightly.
Here, I recommend that in matters of service to Jesus, we commit for two or three years. Then we can increase the duration of our commitment gradually.
In the second parable, Jesus asks us to take an inventory of our troops and human resources before going to war. The active following of Jesus demands militancy. But, if we decide to follow Jesus, we will see the grace of God and our human nature working together; and doing extraordinary things. “Taste and see how good is the Lord” (Psalm 33).
The third condition for following Jesus is detachment from the properties of the disciple. Jesus told the rich man: “Sell everything you have, give it to the poor, then come and follow me” (Mark 10:17–30). Remember that in the first communities, as we read in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, some disciples sold their properties and made the goods received available to the community.
In a conversation with one person, she told me: “I long to be a better servant of Jesus.” I replied: “You already have the tools at your disposal, the Word of God, the sacraments, prayer, and the Virgin Mary as intercessor.”
May each of us listen carefully to the voice of Jesus who says to each of us in person: “Follow me.” And that we may take the time to calculate, discern, and decide with the help of the Holy Spirit how to follow/serve Jesus as one of his disciples amid the Christian community to which we belong.
Do not give up on your discipleship. Remember that Jesus awaits you with open arms at the end of this journey.
