Readings (Year C):
Wisdom 9:13 – 18b
Psalm 90:3 – 4, 5 – 6, 12 – 13, 14 and 17
Philemon 9 – 10, 12 – 17
Luke 14:25 – 33
Reflection: The costs of discipleship
I confess: I like nice things. I like clothes, especially fun ones that help express my personality. I like a comfortable home decorated with art and books and other items of beauty. And as a crafter myself, I really appreciate well-made items and want to take good care of them.
My love of knitting, home decorating and thrift shopping has led me to corners of the internet with like-minded folks. At first, it was all fun, swapping knitting patterns and sharing estate sale finds. But then bloggers became influencers and got “brand deals,” so their online content was all about hawking stuff to buy.
A bit ago, I noticed another trend online, one rich in irony. The same folks who were sharing shopping hauls and “unboxing” of their Amazon deliveries began sharing the joy to be found in getting rid of the very stuff they kept buying. Decluttering is now all the rage—and, not surprisingly, it also requires purchasing stuff, this time organizing containers to show off your newly-downsized closet or pantry.
In today’s gospel, Jesus teaches about the costs of Christian discipleship: “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Most of us like to think that we have what it takes to be a follower of Jesus. But the specifics in this passage from the Gospel of Luke are challenging, to say the least.
Right off the bat Jesus says his disciples must hate their own relatives. Now, most biblical scholars see this as hyperbole, especially since it contradicts other biblical tenets, such as the commandments to honor your parents and love your neighbor.
But what about the last line: “Anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple”? Is this one hyperbole, too? I can’t think of anywhere in scripture that teaches that we’re supposed to love our possessions. In fact, there are many biblical warnings about wealth and material things.
Does this mean that Jesus wants you to jump on the decluttering trend? Believe it or not, there are websites that promote “Christian decluttering” to make room for God. Obviously, this is not the main message of the gospel. Sure, go ahead and organize your kitchen drawers, but don’t let that distract you from the real work of discipleship, which Jesus succinctly summarizes elsewhere as loving God and loving your neighbor.
Loving God and loving our neighbor has a cost, and Jesus is reminding us here to calculate that cost. It isn’t that Jesus doesn’t want people to enjoy beautiful things, but beautiful things can easily become a distraction from what is more important. And if those beautiful things are acquired through a system that hurts our brothers and sisters, that, too, is a problem.
During these times, when so much is wrong in our country and world, it can be a relief to scroll through social media posts of renovated bathrooms or videos about the latest kitchen gadget. But Jesus warns us: Do not be distracted.
Add comment