Renounce

Philippians 2:12-18; Psalm 27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Luke 14:25-33
The gospel begins thus, "great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them..."

Crowds were often gathering at the feet of Jesus. Everywhere he went, people flocked, to get a closer look, to hear what he might say,to see what he might do. they all wanted to inch closer.

Even this past sunday, we encounter, Zacchaeus who climbed the tree in order to see.

Taking it all in, the crowds, the pushing, the pressing in, the great drawing power of christ, there is one thing that stands out.

Jesus did not want a crowd of people following him. Crowds were no good. The crowd mentality is sporadic and very emotional.

He wanted something more. He wanted people to rise above the crowd, to step out of the crowd, to choose to stand with him. Jesus came to found a community that would be apart from the crowd.

This is why he speaks the words of today's gospel, "In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple."

In order to leave the crowd, we must first renounce, separate ourselves, create some distance. We have to leave something behind in order to move forward in the footsteps of Christ.

We cannot have our cake and eat it too, as the saying goes.

Somethings are no longer options, no longer viable. Jesus doesn't want us to adabt our lives to him, he wants us to change, radically and completely.

Otherwise, we remain just another face in the crowd.

Words from Pope Benedict
"The Church's experience shows that every form of holiness, even if it follows different paths, always passes through the Way of the Cross, the way of self-denial.

The example of the Saints encourages us to follow in their same footsteps and to experience the joy of those who trust in God, for the one true cause of sorrow and unhappiness for men and women is to live far from him.

Holiness demands a constant effort, but it is possible for everyone because, rather than a human effort, it is first and foremost a gift of God, thrice Holy (cf. Is 6: 3). In the second reading, the Apostle John remarks: "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are" (I Jn 3: 1)."