His language for discipleship was unvarnished and brutally honest as He placed it in the context of “hatred” for the family. It was harsh which sounds really alien to our ears. But the point is simply that any discipleship which inevitably involves the cross cannot be but brutal and honest. For example, in those halcyon days of missionary outreach, priests, religious brothers and sisters left their homes and countries without ever seeing their motherland again. The hand that is laid to the plough should never look back. Leaving was understood as permanent.
We appeared to have lost that edge. In a way, this development reflects a progressive understanding of human psychology and sociology. We have come to accept that kith and kin are necessary to the spiritual, psychological and physical well-being of a person. But Jesus seemed to think otherwise. A good illustration to assist in understanding this kind of spirit is to appreciate the monastic vocation. The Carthusians live separated from their families and only two days a year can their families visit them. This kind of separation is sacrificially painful but view this in the context of two loves. One is good and the other is better. It is good to have the comfort of familial and friendly relationships. But it is better to belong to God alone. This kind of calling requires the virtues of fortitude and endurance.
Therefore, this calls for a calculation of the cost involved. In any relationship that is consequential, the initial period of the association can be exhilarating. The retinue or the band that tagged along with Jesus must have been thrilled to witness the ease with which He performed many miracles. Just like falling in love for the first time, it can be intoxicating. But over time, when the reality sets in, the rosy picture can take a different hue.
It is only when the going gets tough that the real cost will surface. To endure, we need strength to carry the cross that is laid upon us. Endurance stands on the firm foundation of trust in the Lord. In the 1st Reading, the reason for trusting God is because His ways are never ours. Sadly, in a self-confident world, we seem to be deadly certain that our perspective is the one which is all encompassing. We know and are sure that we are right and our approach is the correct one. In this sense, it does not matter if one were a liberal or a conservative because the relevant question to ask is what happens when one is silenced especially when one is convinced that one’s view is flawless. Ask Henri de Lubac (who later became a Cardinal) or Padre Pio. They were silenced by the Church. They were humiliated but they kept quiet and went about their business. But today anyone censored or muzzled will take to social media to justify his or her position. Nobody is silenced that easily.
The silence of people like Henri de Lubac or Padre Pio requires a lot of trust in the Lord. The “beatitudes” come from this space. When we are hated, persecuted or mistreated in our service of the Church, it is easy to sink into depression. After all, nothing is more painful than betrayal by the very institution we love, trust and serve. In order that we not be overwhelmed by treachery or give in to self-destructive behaviour, we need to believe that God will take care of us. That strength to remain steadfast can only come from deep confidence in God.
There are layers of dying to oneself before arriving at that depth of trust in the Lord. The key here is divestment. In the Gospel, Jesus spoke of possessions. Giving up physical wealth is a good prelude of letting go of our intangible possessions. However, to possess nothing is no guarantee that one trusts in the Lord. Dependence on God takes more than the lack of wealth because one can be poor and yet it does not always translate into faith in Him. In fact, the contrary could be true that one who has nothing tends to want to accumulate.
The post-Resurrection scene by the sea of Tiberias where Jesus prepared fish and bread over fire and invited the fishing Apostles to join Him can teach us a little bit more of what trusting in God is like. Jesus told Peter that a time will come when his hands would be stretched out and a belt fastened on him. Peter would be led to where he would rather not go. Such a docility in allowing the Lord to take charge is far deeper than the lack of possession. The higher we rise in power and prestige, the more intelligent we are with our qualifications, the more wealth we possess, the greater the pain of divestment will be.
The Cross is the price of following Christ. The present notion of a “moralistic therapeutic deity” is not the Christ on the way to Jerusalem. A belief that God exists to make us happy and feel good about ourselves is not the God of Sacred Scriptures. In our age, we seem to have confused consolation with feeling good. Consolation is a peace which can weather all kinds of storms because it keeps the eyes fixed on Jesus whom we follow and on the destination that we are moving to.
Discipleship is always radical in the service of the Lord. I remember an anecdote regarding St Bernadette who was constantly ill and was unable to do manual work. When a complaint was lodged against her, she replied calmly that “her work was to be sick”. She became a saint not because she saw Our Lady. She was raised to the altar of sanctity for her willing acceptance of sickness and suffering. This is not a counsel of “fatal resignation”. The first thing one ought to do when sick is to look for healing and for a cure to one’s ailment. What happens when all avenues have been exhausted? Would one dare to praise God for the vocation to be sick?
The example of Bernadette shows us that there is always a price to be paid. At its most profound it will require that one lays down one’s life. Thus, to follow Jesus, we have to be serious in prioritising Him. He comes first before all else. Secondly, the Cross will always be a part of discipleship. Thirdly, count the cost before we embark on the perilous journey of following Him. Fourthly, it is said that God does not call the qualified but He qualifies the called. In other words, if He calls you, trust Him because He will provide strength for the journey.
It is not that Jesus will not make the journey easier because He is capricious or cruel. Instead, there are powers that are arrayed against His Kingdom. Satan wants to overthrow the Kingdom of Christ and that renders discipleship dangerous. The call to discipleship is total and not merely a token. Thus, those who have followed Him fully will tell you that nothing in this world will ever take the place of the joy and the peace that comes from having fully surrendered their lives to Him.
