An attractive Jesus turns round and sees many would be followers. He speaks to them with a directness and clarity which does not allow for any misunderstanding. If they want to follow Him, they have to come to Him. This physical movement expresses a choice. If they found their identity or safety in the family to which they belong, they must let it go. If their love of their own life was the ‘value’ which guided their decisions and actions, they must let that go as well. Jesus has to be the centre of their lives and there is no room for competing loyalties.
With Jesus at the centre, the cross will be their way. The cross is the symbol of leading a non-violent and peaceful life in a world filled with violence. Following Jesus is not a way to avoid the risks of Peace. Every step His disciples take will land on a snake or a scorpion (Luke10:19). Every step His disciples take must lead them to the places where the Kingdom of God cannot be found so that they might bring its grace. To follow Jesus is to use Him as a rock to stand on while they put their shoulders to the wheel of the world. When the world refuses to budge, His disciples will feel that refusal in their bodies. As St. Peter came to realise, “When He was abused, He did not return abuse; when He suffered, He did not threaten; but He entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for justice; by His wounds you have been healed”. (1 Peter 2:23-24). To carry the cross is to commit ourselves to the healing of the world in the most radical way.
This is why following Jesus should not be mindless. Every would-be disciple must consider the cost. It is like building a tower or constructing a connection between earth and heaven. What will it take to complete the task? It is like taking on a large force with a small force; engaging in a battle even though we are overmatched. How will we win? If you cannot see it through His eyes, and if you are not certain that He is the winner, it is better not to begin. A decision has to be made with all the practiced wisdom of a builder and a battle-hardened king.
In his book, ‘Reading Mark, Engaging the Gospel’, David Rhoads tells this modern Parable.
In the late 1980’s a volunteer approached a leader of the Sanctuary Movement in the USA which served refugees from Central America, and they asked to join the work of the movement. The leader said to them, “Before you say whether you really wish to join us, let me pose some questions: Are you ready to have your telephone tapped by the government? Are you prepared to have your neighbours shun you? Are you strong enough to have your children ridiculed and harassed at school? Are you ready to be arrested and tried with full media coverage? If you are not prepared for these things, you may not be ready to join the movement. For when push comes to shove, if you fear these things, you will not be ready to do what needs to be done for the refugees”. [Minneapolis: Fortress Press,2004]53)
To sum up. Jesus invites His would-be followers to a genuine assessment of the cost of discipleship. Anything which competes with our communion with Jesus and our co-operation in His mission must be let go. At one level, this is about not being possessed by our possessions. But at a deeper level it is about choosing to be bringers of Peace in a world which is dominated by violence. The Peace of Christ is a house built on Rock which allows disciples to hear the Word and put it into action. Disciples are sent to transfigure and transform a broken world. And Jesus, the Beloved Son of God, is walking towards Jerusalem. Once we have considered the cost, and choose to walk with Him, a ‘normal’ life begins to lose its attraction.
