Jesus talks in today’s gospel of the preparations involved in great undertakings. Now, although I am a carpenter, I have never sought to construct a tower. Nor have I led troops into battle. But I have helped to found an intentional Christian community and nonprofit organization. And I am preparing for the birth of my first child, so I can relate when Jesus talks about the time, attention, and resources needed to prepare for any great undertaking. I’m sure many of us can relate when Jesus talks about taking care to lay the necessary foundations to ensure a successful outcome.
As we are nodding in agreement, Jesus lays down the challenge, “In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Heads stop nodding. Blank stares ensue. We avoid eye contact. What is Jesus talking about and why does it make us so nervous? Our culture has taught us that we can ‘have it all’ and here’s Jesus saying that we cannot have it all and we have some tough choices to make.
Renounce all possessions. That is, voluntarily set aside that which we possess (property and wealth) and that which possesses us (selfishness, hate) and freely surrender ourselves to Christ, to love. Not just on Sunday, not just in the little boxes and within the narrow rules we have made for ourselves, but everyday, without limits, gratuitously.
Our journey to Bethlehem Farm, at its best, has been a journey toward discipleship. It began as an idea of how we could direct our time and talents toward serving the local community. When we got married, there was the idea to sidestep material wedding gifts in favor of donations to our mission at Bethlehem Farm. We often find ourselves sharing our home for a week with 30 or 40-strangers-turned-friends that join us in growing healthy food and repairing homes with neighbors in need. There is some renouncing of personal time and space that goes with this kind of calling.
Sometimes I feel we are failing miserably at choosing the Kingdom and leaving behind the trappings of success. Have we really surrendered control of our lives and been possessed by Christ? Do we want to be disciples?
Holy Spirit, open our hearts.
Eric Fitts is director of Bethlehem Farm, a Catholic community in Summers County based on the gospel cornerstones of prayer, community, simplicity and service. He and his wife Colleen are former parishioners at St. John.
Question of the Week:
Do you agree with Eric that Jesus is literally calling us to renounce all possessions in today’s Gospel? If so, what does that look like in our culture today? If not, how would you interpret Jesus’ statement “anyone of you who does not renounce all your possessions cannot be my disciple”?
Also check out the Appalachian Bishops’ Pastoral Letter At Home in the Web of Life: http://www.bethlehemfarm.net/08documents/athomeintheweboflife.pdf
This is definitely one of the toughest questions that Christians have to answer in our society today. I've heard it all: Jesus was just kidding; "renounce" just means "don't be attached to"; and Eric's point of view. We all seem to feel a resistance to taking this command literally. How much of that resistance stems from personal selfishness and sinfulness... and how much stems from the practicalities of living in a sinful and imperfect world?
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