Jesus said to his Apostles, "Do not thing that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have to set a man 'against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's enemies will be those of his household.'
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for sale will find it.
"Whoever receives your receives me, whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one these little ones to drink because he is a disciple- amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."
When Jesus finished giving these commands to his twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
The Word in other words
In the year 1204 a man named Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, an Italian heir to a wealthy businessman, renounced his worldly life after experiencing spiritual conversion, and chose to be with the poor begging at St. Peter's Basilica. He gave all his belongings to the poor and chose to wear a beggar's cloak. His peers mocked him and made his father furious who later drove him out of their household. In a dream he encountered Christ who said, "Go and repair my house which, as you can see, is falling apart." Francis , as he is now popularly known, would later become one of the most venerated religious figures in history. (Wikipedia)
In today's gospel, Jesus is telling us that to follow Him is not an easy task. If we choose to follow Him and be His disciples, here is no other way but to carry our own crosses. Though crosses may differ in size and weight, a disciple is expected to carry a heavier cross, being sent like a sheep among wolves. A disciple should be prepared to be mocked, ridiculed, rejected, persecuted and should even be ready to die for the sake of Christ.
According to the CIA's World Factbook (July 2012 est), there are 2.2 billion Christians in the world. How many of us, like St. Francis of Assisi, are ready to give up everything for the sake of Christ? How many of us have the guts to choose good over evil, to be honest and not corrupt, to be faithful to our vows and not break them, to work hard to make a living and not steal, to be humble and not proud, to be simple and not extravagant? How many of us would rather choose to forgive than seek vengeance, and to turn the other cheek rather than retaliate? How many of us care enough to give their time, talent and treasure to care for the oppressed and the victims of injustice?
Would you choose to be a disciple? That might be easier said than done.
- Br. Jong Jacela, SVD (Cainta, Rizal)
