Wednesday, June 30, 2021

 

Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Genesis 21:5.8-20a; Matthew 8:28-34)

Even Pope Francis cites the Protestant theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book The Cost of Discipleship. It treats of the difficulties Christians are called to bear.  Of course, the benefits of discipleship more than outweigh its burdens.  Nevertheless, Christians must be ready pay a price when they commit themselves to Christ. Today’s gospel tells of people unwilling to do that. 

Jesus has just cleared the area of the Gadarenes of a threat.  He cast out the demons moving two men to menace the populace.  Jesus allowed the demons to enter a herd of swine that went berserk and plunged into the sea.  The swine were lost, and the town that much impoverished.  The townspeople react to the feat by asking Jesus to leave their territory.  Instead of following such a powerful man as Jesus, they want to rid themselves of him.  They are not willing even to consider the “cost of discipleship.”

We all have to bear suffering, but no one has to do it alone.  We can turn to Jesus for help.  He will make some demands on us which are included in the “cost of discipleship.”  But we should not doubt that we will accrue more happiness with his support.

Homilette for February 4, 2008

Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Mark 5:1-20)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Protestant theologian who taught in the United States in the 1920s and early 30’s. When Bonhoeffer returned to his native Germany, he found himself opposing the barbarism of the Nazi regime. Eventually, he was executed for taking part in a plot to assassinate Hitler. Before he died, he wrote a book called The Cost of Discipleship explaining that there is no such thing as “cheap grace.” Here is a paradox: grace by definition is free, yet it costs one to be a Christian.

Some are unwilling to pay the price. In the gospel today the people send Jesus packing apparently because he has cost them two thousand head of pigs. Too earnest businesspersons, they cannot appreciate how Jesus has restored the sanity of one of their own but only take note of their losses.

What does it cost us to follow Jesus? Perhaps a half hour’s sleep in the morning to attend Mass? Maybe eating our words rather than lash out at some perceived unfairness? Whatever it is, it is a bargain. What we expend is not ours to begin with, but a gift from God. What we receive, is eternal life – the joy of Jesus’ companionship forever.