22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: The Cost of Being a Christian
Christianity is costly. Becoming true Christian will cost us our dear life. But in return, we will experience true happiness and meaning of life that no amount of money can ever buy. Not just now but in eternity.
The problem for many of us Christians is that we have made Christianity cheap. For many of us we made Christianity merely as a religion, an obligation, a list of commandments, of do’s and don’ts. Once we fulfilled our obligation, like going to mass on Sundays, receiving the sacraments, giving donations to the church, following the 10 commandments, we are already contented and consider ourselves true Christians.
Not really!
In today’s gospel, Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”
In Jesus’ words, Christianity, first of all, is following Jesus who demands self-denial and taking up of one’s cross. In the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor and theologian who was killed by Hitler, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”[1] Christ gives us grace but it is not “cheap grace,” Bonhoeffer adds. God’s grace is not a “grace without price; grace without cost,” or “grace without discipleship.” God’s grace is “costly grace.”
God’s costly grace entails that we go against the tide. In the Second Reading, Paul wrote to the Romans not to conform themselves to this age.” He urges them to offer their “living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God” and not to “model [themselves] on the behaviour of the world around [them]”.
Jesus view of a human being (anthropology) clashes with the dominant neo-liberal capitalist anthropology of today’s world. Today’s world defines human nature as basically individualistic. Humans always work towards self-preservation, self-development and self-interest, thus, always self-seeking and self-centered. Jesus’ proclamation in the gospel today goes against this human nature in the world. He sees the true worth of the human in giving one’s own life, in sacrifice.
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
God’s costly grace also intensifies an internal struggle present in all followers of Christ. In the First Reading Jeremiah seems to regret that he was called by God to be his prophet.
“You have seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced.”
As a result he became the object of people’s ridicule. Every time he opened his mouth, he had to warn of violence and disaster coming on God’s people. In return he got nothing but insults and derision. He decided he would not speak about God.
“I will not think about him, I will not speak in his name any more.”
In the same way, when we work for peace, people may accuse us of being unpatriotic. When we stand up for the poor, people may accuse us of being a communist. When we condemn the killings of the innocent, people may accuse us of politicizing and sowing trouble. Like Jeremiah, we may not want to speak out for justice, peace and life anymore.
But in the end, this didn’t work for Jeremiah, because
“There seemed to be a fire burning in my heart… The effort to restrain it wearied me, I could not stand it.”
He just had to go on speaking God’s message, which was like a fire in his heart, to his people whatever the cost to himself. Like Jeremiah, may we truly feel that constant itchiness to continue to speak out God’s message despite the repression and violence around us.
The internal struggle brought about by God’s costly grace is akin to struggle with our demons inside. This is Peter’s experience as he grappled with the gospel of Jesus. Last week, Jesus called Peter the rock upon which he will build his church. In today’s gospel, Jesus called Peter “Satan”. What a turnaround!
In many ways, we are like Peter. Deep inside, we vacillate from being the most zealous disciple of Jesus to Jesus’ worst enemy. Like Peter it is only when we let go of ourselves and cling onto the grace of Jesus that we are liberated from our demons inside.
Lord, be with us. Show us how to carry our cross. Show us how to lose ourselves, and find ourselves in you, in love.
[1] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
I am passionate about the intersection between new media and technology. I continue to research and apply new media in theology and vice-versa. I am also a fan of Our Mother of Perpetual Help and her continuing relevance in today's digital world.
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