‘None of you can be my disciples unless he gives up his possessions.’
Luke 14: 25-33
Jesus makes, in this gospel, statements that we may find contrary to our beliefs. He tells us: Anyone who comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple, and further on; None of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.
What can he mean by this? On reflection, however, we see that Jesus is asking us for total commitment. That is what he did by example, loving us to the point of death.
I know parents who mortgaged their house and land and gave themselves totally for the love of their children. This may sound impossible for us but as Jesus told us in the gospel of Matthew, 26: For men…this is impossible; for God everything is possible.
Lord, it is difficult, but teach us to be totally committed to you.
Amen.