23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Is it easy to follow Jesus and be a Christian? No. There are many things about being a Christian which goes against the ways of the world, and this could lead to misunderstanding, conflict, persecution and even death. That is why we must count the cost before committing ourselves; we must know what we are getting ourselves into; and we cannot follow Christ blindly or be a Christian without considering the serious implications of our call.

So what is so challenging and difficult about following Jesus and being a Christian? Today's Gospel gives us a few points to think about. Firstly, we are told: "Anyone who comes to me without hating father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, cannot be my disciple." This is difficult teaching especially since many of us are constantly taught that family comes first. But Jesus tells us that if we are asked to choose between what our family wants us to do and what God wants from us, we must always choose what God wants, even if this may go against the wishes of our family members. Does this mean that we should stop loving our family members? No. We must love them, but we must be strong in our commitment to the truth and to what is right. Great sins have been committed to maintain and to safeguard family honour. But being a Christian means our family should not be an obstacle to prevent us from being a good Christian and doing God's will. Secondly, we are told: "No one who does not carry his cross and come after me can be my disciple." This means that we must be willing to offer our lives totally to God, just as Jesus offered His life totally on the cross to save us from our sins. Thirdly, we are told: "None of you can be my disciple without giving up all that he owns." This means that if we choose to follow Jesus, then we must change completely our attitude towards the goods of this world. We must be willing to be detached from such worldly and temporary things, and use them not for our own selfish needs or for our personal gratification, but to help others and to glorify Him.

Humanly speaking, these points seem to give us the impression that it seems impossible to be a Christian, if we are only to rely on human reasoning. This is why we need to constantly seek that divine wisdom which the first reading speaks of: "As for your intention, who could have learnt it, had you not granted Wisdom and sent your holy spirit from above?" It is this divine wisdom which would help us recognise that the things we are prepared to give up in this world are nothing or insignificant, compared with the riches we shall obtain in the kingdom of God.

Today, we are presented with a choice: to remain with the ways of the world, or to follow Jesus and be firm and steadfast to the ways of God. Naturally, it is not an easy or straightforward choice, but we cannot have it both ways. If you are placed in such a situation, may you be prudent and choose wisely, since your eternal future may be at stake.