Breaking the Word

Great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and addressed them, "If any one 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. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple…

In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple. (Lk 14:25-33)

 

 

Jesus is journeying towards Jerusalem from Galilee. He is sure of his destination. He is also sure of what awaits him there in Jerusalem. As he turns back he sees great crowds following him. He is amazed at the sight of such a following. He wonders at their intention and their goals. He wants to make sure of it.

 

He tells them that they should not give importance to relatives. His journeying is not going to make a human family. His journey is not to build a society. (no one should follow with the intention of building a family with relatives). The followers should even hate the future. They should not bother about their own life.

 

The followers should be ready to carry the cross. The journey is not going to end up in a celebration of a great gathering. Discipleship is in carrying the cross. Cross, at the time of Jesus, signified death, loneliness, rejection, insult etc. The discipleship also meant giving up wealth and possession. Yes, discipleship meant: no relations, no possessions and only cross.   

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever." These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. (Jn 6:51-59)

 

 

The dead are remembered in every religion and culture. Even those who deny the existence of God visit the tombs of the dead for veneration. There is a basic need in man to associate with the past and the people of the past. It need not be for a worship of the dead. They are remembered and some pray for them or pray through them to God. It only shows the affection and esteem one has for the dead.

 

In the bible, resurrection is presented as basis for faith and life. ‘If Christ has not been risen, your faith is in vain’ (1 Cor 15:17). ‘In Christ all shall be brought to life'(1 Cor 15:22) and this is our hope. I proclaim ‘… he was raised on the third day according to Scripture’ (1 Cor 15;3).   St Paul presents Jesus as the model of resurrection and a forerunner in that.

 

Resurrection is a gift and it is the work of God. It is like creation and hence resurrection is. In fact, it is a new creation. Our remembering of the dead is in relation to this biblical idea. They are remembered in relation to God and his activities. God is remembered and he is thanked for the wonder that he works in the dead. Jesus is not only a model in this but also the food for the people who believe in this God. Jesus nourishes the people to enter into this eternal communion with God.