23rd Sunday in the Ordinary
Time
September 8, 2013
Luke 14:25-33
“Whoever does not
carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
A great crowd followed Jesus. Perhaps,
if Jesus had an official twitter account, millions would follow Him, even more
that the followers of Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber combined together. Yet, Jesus
knew that simply being a part of the crowd was practically effortless and
usually selfishly motivated: to be cured, to be fed and to be entertained. It
turns to be very superficial, as a mass of people are drawn to one charismatic
and powerful leader like Jesus, yet the moment its need is served or its leader
is no longer satisfactory, it would be naturally disbanded. Thus, Jesus criticized
people with this ‘crowd’ mentality.
We may be a Christian by baptism and
name, but it does not follow that we are His true disciples. We might bear in
our mind this crowd mentality. We are Christian because we were born into this
faith and our parents are strict about it. We are Christian perhaps because the
Church service is uplifting and the sermons are funny. We are Christian simply because
we know that everybody else is Christian. Yet, if we are the only Christian in
the family and society, or the Church worship turns to be sour and dragging, or
being Christian is no longer profitable and even life-threatening, are we going
to be faithful with our identity?
He challenged them to become His real
disciples, “Whoever does not carry his own
cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Genuine discipleship can
only be achieved through cross. In fact, the way of the cross is the way of
Jesus. The Church always teaches us that our redemption is won through the
passion, death (crucifixion) and resurrection of Jesus, and not simply in His popular
healing and fans-attraction miracles. To be born into Christianity is not
enough, we have to be reborn in authentic experience of faith.
In cross, we do not look for fulfillment
of our selfish ends, but allow ourselves to be shaken and be stripped off these
self-seeking ambitions. As Jesus brings His cross, endures enormous pain and
dies as a criminal, we are asked to accept our cross as well, otherwise we
never experience a genuine resurrection. Being the only Christians in the
family and society is indeed trying, but it purifies us from egocentric gains.
When the liturgy seems so dragging, we are invited to go beyond our sensate
satisfaction and learn to appreciate how God’s grace is even present in the
most ordinary ways. When our faith is questioned and challenged, this turns to
be grace-filled opportunity to seek answers and deepen our understanding of our
faith. The way of the cross is never easy, but it opposes and destroys the ‘crowd’
mentality in us and forms us to be the true disciple of Jesus. Don’t be afraid
then, take up our cross and be reborn!
Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno,
OP
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