Wisdom 9:13-18b
The book of Wisdom was written by a teacher who lived in Alexandria, Egypt, a center for Greek philosophy in the ancient world. Fearful that the Jewish people might be captivated by this secular wisdom, the author contrasts it with the rich wisdom of God found in Jewish religious traditions. The ninth chapter presents a prayer of Solomon for wisdom, and today's reading is part of this prayer.
Philemon 9-10, 12-17
Philemon was a rich man with many servants, one of whom - Onesimus - escaped. Onesimus reached Paul in prison and converted to Christianity. In sending the servant back to Philemon, Paul gave him a letter to take with him, a portion of which we hear today.
Luke 14:25-33
Bishop Untener's Homily
This is another of those Gospel passages that can seem harsh - and it's definitely not one of the passages we like to hear. But, as I often say, we are a "full Gospel Church." We don't pick and choose our favorite Gospels. We walk through all of them Sunday after Sunday and we take what's there. Passages like this force us to go down to a deeper level and ask ourselves some questions we might not otherwise have asked. Let's do that.
Some background on this Gospel
From the start it helps to know that Luke wrote his Gospel in Greek, as did the other three Gospel writers. The Greek word for "hate" doesn't carry with it the emotion that the English word "hate" conveys. It simply has to do with choice, preference. If it comes between this and that, I choose this, rather than that. In Greek, this would be conveyed by saying that, in comparison, I love this and hate that. But it comes off differently in English. Matthew, in his Gospel, doesn't use the word "hate." He has Jesus saying, "Whoever loves father or mother more than me" cannot be my disciple.
Another background thought that can help is something that happened about 15 years before Luke wrote his Gospel. In the year 66, there was a Jewish uprising against the Romans, led by some revolutionaries called Zealots. As a result, the Romans laid siege to Jerusalem, and in 70 A.D. the revolutionaries were defeated and slaughtered, the Temple was destroyed, and the Romans ruled with an iron fist.
Now, up until that time, Jews who became Christians were able to follow their Jewish traditions. They worshiped at the Temple, went to the Synagogue, observed the holy days, the food laws, and so forth. They were still fully "Jewish." It's simply that they believed in Jesus as the Messiah sent by God, and they gathered regularly to celebrate Eucharist.
The events surrounding the unsuccessful revolt changed all that. This uprising wasn't supported by all the Jewish people in Jerusalem. And Jewish Christians were among those who didn't support it. When it was over, and when Roman oppressive measures were taken, the Synagogue leaders no longer tolerated Jews who were also Christians. They said you had to get in or get out. If you believed in Jesus as the Messiah, you could no longer come to the Synagogue.
Now, remember, for Jewish people at that time, their religious practices and traditions were part of their whole life - their family life, social life, civic life, work life. To decide to be a disciple of Jesus was to be cut off from all of this. It was a very difficult choice, and it split families - sons and daughters were cut off from their parents, brothers and sisters from one another.
So, Luke was writing after this had happened, and it colored his words. True disciples had to commit themselves to Jesus at their deepest level, even at the cost of family members.
St. Thomas More
It can also be helpful to look at a "live" example. In 1529 Thomas More was made Lord Chancellor of England. He was a popular choice - he was bright, witty and much loved by those who knew him, including King Henry VIII. But when Henry divorced his wife Catherine and married Anne, he wanted all his subjects to support that decision. They had to sign an oath that they agreed with this - that his marriage to Catherine was null and void, that his future children would be legitimate successors to the crown and, finally, that Henry was "the only supreme head of the Church of England."
Thomas More could not accept this. So, he quietly resigned his position as Lord Chancellor, and he refused to sign the oath. He didn't speak out against the king, but he refused to sign the oath. There is an old legal tradition - going back to the Romans - that silence implies consent. Thomas maintained that if he didn't speak out, he committed no crime.
But Henry had Thomas arrested and placed in the Tower of London. The penalty for refusing to sign the oath was death. Thomas' wife pleaded with him to sign. Most everybody had, including almost all the bishops of England. But Thomas said that he couldn't do it with integrity. Margaret, his favorite daughter, begged him to sign. But he didn't.
Finally a trial was held, false witnesses were brought forward, and Thomas was condemned and executed.
Thomas didn't hate his wife or his children... or his own life. But his commitment to God was at the very deepest level, and if it cost him everything, so be it.
That can help put today's Gospel passage in perspective.
What is our Level of Commitment?
Now we can begin to see what this Gospel is about. I have to ask myself: What is the level of my belief in, my attachment to, my commitment to... Jesus Christ?
My first reaction might be to say, "Well, of course, Jesus comes first, above anyone or anything else." That's the correct answer. But is it real... is it true in my life, not only in theory, but in practice? Well, if it is real... true... then it shows up in the way I live my life. Then Jesus is more than someone I admire, a friend in need.
To be a disciple of the Lord means that I walk in his footsteps, follow a different way of life, live the teachings he taught. It affects everything.
Is Jesus at that level in my life? I need to give that some serious thought.
The Eucharist
When we come to Eucharist, we do think about it. We do more than think. We commit ourselves. When the gifts of bread and wine are brought forward and placed on the altar, they represent us. We place ourselves on the altar, and in the Eucharistic prayer we join with the Lord as he gives himself entirely to the Father.
When we come forward for Communion and the consecrated bread and wine are offered to us, we say "Amen." That is no small word to say. Through that word we commit ourselves entirely, totally to the Lord, above all else.
At this Eucharist, and at every Eucharist, I call upon all of us to do that. The Eucharist is not a time and place for timid souls. Only the brave come to this table. And we come, not with part of our lives - the religious part - but with everything.
May the Lord, who called each of us by name to be his disciples, help us to respond, not timidly, but with an "Amen" that comes from deep, deep within us.
Originally given on September 9, 2001