The Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost - September 7, 2025

Summary

Mother Suzanne addresses Jesus' extreme words in Luke 14 about discipleship, where he calls followers to "hate" family and give up possessions. She explains that Jesus uses hyperbolic language to emphasize that following him must be our highest priority - we must love him more than anything else. Being a disciple isn't something we put on and take off like a hat, but a complete way of life that transforms how we see and love others.

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                                                              Luke 14:25-33

Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions."

Artwork: Take Up The Cross, by George Samuel

Transcript

Mother Suzanne:

Happier they who have not walked in the council of the wicked, but their delight is in the law of the Lord and they meditate on his law day and night. In the name of the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Please be seated. Well, good morning and my goodness, aren't we greeted with quite the words from Jesus this morning? I say this as I look out and see families seated in pews together, parents and children and grandparents, those you love and care for. And then my heart cringes just a bit when the words of Jesus hits our ears. They're extreme. They're sharp and piercing. Difficult words to wrestle with as Jesus describes his very firm expectations for those who want to follow him. Those who desire to be his disciples, those who want to orient life towards a man named Jesus.

So in all manner of extreme words, let us be reminded of what he says. Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes. And even your own life can't be my disciple. Jesus also says, whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. And while we're on the subject, Jesus says, there's one more thing. None of you can become my disciple if you don't give up everything you own. So hate my family, hate my life, give up everything I own. Carry a cross. What else do you want, Jesus? Is this really what you're asking? But Jesus, if I give up all that you ask of me, what then do I have left? And this is where the hyperbole or that really extreme language that Jesus uses clears the path for what he's really getting at.

And what he's really getting at is this. In order to be my follower, it must be me that you want. More than anything else, me. You must choose me above all other

Things. Family, life, possessions. Love them less so you can love me more. If you want to follow me, think about it first. Count the cost just like the builder, just like the king. Count the cost before you say yes to me because this is what I am asking of you. And what Jesus is getting at is something that I speak of often at grace. Being a disciple of Jesus, it is a way of life. It's not like a hat that you put on and take off. It truly is a different way of living. It is a shift in mindset, a way of orienting our life in the world where, for example, we put others first. We desire to serve rather than to be served. We look for ways to make things better for others. We do things that some might question or raise eyebrows at.

Instead of desiring to be number one, being okay with being last and recognizing that to find your life, you must first lose your life. Because when we do these things in some mysterious way, God's kingdom is present and it's made real. And remember, that's the thrust of the gospel writer, Luke. His story is carried forth by the underlying theme of God mercy and how it is made real in the person and life of Jesus. And his mercy is for all, every single body without exception.

And so to follow him means doing things differently. The ways of God often look and feel very different from the ways of the world. Because in the kingdom of God, things are turned upside down. What we normally expect to happen just doesn't. There is a different orientation to the world that can be unsettling because it means giving up. It means going without. It means sacrifice. It means loving your families well, but it also means knowing that when we say yes to Jesus, we are brought into a larger family, the family of God. And somehow when this happens, our capacity to love becomes greater in that we not only love our families, but we love others too.

And when we do this, we begin to see others in the way that God sees them made perfectly in his image, not just people inhabiting the world in my way or worse burdens, problems, or something to avoid, but we begin to see them with the eyes of Jesus in which we look upon others with compassion and grace and recognizing something that I tell myself every single day, Suzanne, you are doing the best you can, and that is okay. And in so doing, we also recognize that there are others doing the best they can. And perhaps as scandalous as this sounds, when we acquire the eyes of Jesus, we might just be able to love our families a bit less so that we can love Jesus more and others a bit more.

And I know in this day and age when kids reign supreme and pets are loved more than anything, this can be a hard ask. But if we choose to do so, our hearts recognize that our world has been enlarged because as a disciple, we begin to see beyond what is right in front of us. We recognize that indeed our hearts are made to love more deeply and more expansively than we ever thought possible because when we follow Jesus, we begin to see others and things in the way that he does. Things, those things which we own become less important. In fact, sometimes they just flat get in the way. They weigh us down and you find yourself beginning to divest. You just don't need so much.

But then people, although harder and sometimes way tougher to love and more aggravating, Dad Gumet, they become the focus, relationships and interactions. They become powerment over things and acquisitions. In fact, giving away and blessing others is found to be more satisfying and cultivating relationships or repairing broken ones or even doing the brave work. Oh, get this. Of letting go of those relationships that no longer serve or bless you. That becomes the work of the heart, letting go. And in doing so, I know my prayers have changed. They become so different. Daily, I ask Jesus for patience and wisdom and discernment.

I ask God for an openness in my spirit so that interruptions are welcomed. And when I encounter someone that needs an acknowledgement of their dignity or a prayer, I'm ready because I desire and I look for those moments of ministry, not because I'm a priest. No, because I'm a disciple. Because I too want others to have peace and an abiding presence of compassion and joy that I know only comes from God. So yes, today's gospel is extreme in its asking, but y'all so is following a man named Jesus. But first, there must come that awareness of what he's actually asking for, and maybe it's pointing out just a few things that he's not asking because Jesus isn't telling us that we have to completely walk away from our loved ones and break all ties for his sake, but he's using extreme language and examples to tell us that we must pay attention, that we must live with awareness, take serious consideration of the people and the things that have the most influence and control over the shape of our lives.

He is saying there is a cost to following me, and it means taking up your cross every day, and it means choosing him again and again, loving, loving him and loving everything else less. Jesus is asking of you and of me this. Let me be what you love most. Let me lead and you follow. Even if that means giving up something or someone, it also means welcoming something new, probably something better for my sake and for yours. Amen. Amen.