During Lent, we talk about “giving things up” and making sacrifices.
But in today’s Gospel Jesus makes clear: that’s not just Lent.
It’s all the time. Lent is just when it’s dialed up.
I’m sure we’ve all noticed some other churches, or pastors –
you might see a billboard or a TV ad –
that will say something like, “no expectations; just come.”
And while I get the appeal of that,
could it be more obvious that isn’t what we just heard Jesus say?
First, he said, “hate your family and possessions, even your own life.”
Now, he doesn’t mean “hate” in the sense of contempt or malice.
He means what he says later: completely letting go of the attachment.
Remember the story of St. Francis of Assisi.
His family was wealthy and his father wanted him to be part of that.
Francis wanted to live free of all attachments.
At a certain point, Francis had to stand up to his father;
and in front the whole town, he gave up everything—
he even took off his clothes and handed them back to his father.
Sometimes children have different dreams from their parents—
they choose a course that means less money or prestige.
If they choose the religious life or the priesthood,
then it means no grandchildren!
I’m sorry to say this, but I’ve had parents admit to me,
they discouraged their children from the priesthood or religious life,
precisely for these reasons:
Their children won’t make money, and there won’t be grandchildren.
It’s a funny thing; in so many stories of the saints –
whether it’s Francis, or Aquinas, or Rose of Lima, and many more –
you have this happen: family members try to talk the saint out of it.
Imagine being those family members in eternity.
Someone says to you, Oh, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha was your niece!
How wonderful!
And you hang your head as you say: “I tried to talk her out of it.”
I know we all feel a little nervous around zealots,
someone who is just a little TOO intense!
But here’s the truth: that’s the kind of folks Jesus hangs out with.
I’m not saying everyone has to be a John the Baptist or Rose of Lima.
But beware the voice of caution inside us that always says,
hold back, be careful, don’t go overboard.
And I’m telling you – and you know this is true –
That more than we like the push of the Holy Spirit
precisely IS to “go overboard.” Remember Peter?
He stepped out onto the water; he literally went overboard!
Saint Paul writes from prison. He wasn’t “careful”; he went “too far.”
Jesus says, go overboard, but he also says, “count the cost.”
So, what is the cost?
Well, it costs something to help the poor. Not just money, but time.
If we obey Christ and wait till marriage, that costs us something.
One of the treasured possessions many of us grip tightly
is our own self-righteous fury: “How dare they?!”
That is hard to let go of.
In a lot of places—Egypt, for example—
Christians pay a huge cost.
Their jobs, their businesses, their families, their homes,
their churches and their lives.
In Germany, a Christian family saw the government storm their home
and take their four children away. Why?
Because they were home-schooling their children.
In our country, medical professionals or those in the wedding business
are being forced out because they won’t get on board with abortion,
or euthanasia, or a redefinition of marriage,
or some extremely questionable medical practices involving children
in this whole thorny issue of “gender identity.”
There’s no avoiding it: count the cost of being Jesus’ disciple.
Is it a good deal? Well, we get to know and live with the Holy Trinity.
We get our sins forgiven; our lives are changed. We become saints.
In the resurrection, we get our bodies back, new and improved.
We will enjoy a new heavens and a new earth forever.
The price is: everything. All in. All of me, to have all of Him.
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