Luke 14:25
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
Readings for Sunday: Wisdom, Philemon, Luke
Reflection:
Discipleship is more than simply following Jesus; it is walking in His footsteps and imitating Christ in every aspect of life. At baptism, we became sons and daughters of God, called to pattern our lives on His Son. A true disciple is not one who follows Jesus occasionally or merely to receive blessings, but one whose entire identity is rooted in being a child of God and a follower of Christ.
The Gospels show that large crowds often followed Jesus, many drawn by His reputation as a miracle worker. Yet Jesus made clear that not all who followed Him were true disciples. He began to set conditions: “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” In other words, discipleship requires total commitment, putting Christ above everything else.
A disciple is someone under discipline, embracing the challenges of faith each day. Like an Olympic athlete who sacrifices daily for a crown that perishes, disciples accept the cost of following Christ for a reward that endures forever.
Jesus teaches three conditions: to put Him above all relationships, to carry our cross, and to renounce possessions. These do not mean literal hatred or reckless poverty, but rather a reordering of life so that Christ always comes first.
Discipleship is demanding because it requires transformation. We must let go of sin, embrace suffering, and live with spiritual poverty, seeing all that we have as belonging to God. Yet the reward is beyond imagination—eternal life in heaven, where perfect love and peace reign. The price is heavy, but discipleship prepares us for that profound encounter with God’s infinite love, the ultimate goal of our journey.
Reflection Questions
- In what areas of my life do I struggle to put Christ first, and how can I begin to reorder my priorities as a true disciple?
- What “crosses” or challenges in my life might God be asking me to embrace as part of my transformation in discipleship?
- How can I practice spiritual poverty—using my possessions as tools for God’s will—rather than allowing them to control my life?