Matthew 10,37-42.
Following Jesus is never the easy option. Being a disciple requires putting God first. Family relationships have a primary place in our love and affections but when it comes to being a disciple of Jesus, family loyalty and commitments must take second place. The disciple must be prepared to give Jesus a greater loyalty than any member of their family -parent or son or daughter. The one who is capable of surrendering a good thing (a family relationship), in favour of something better (being a disciple), gives clear evidence of their commitment to Jesus.
Jesus deepens the meaning of commitment further by demanding that it requires willingness to give up everything, even one’s life – taking up one’s cross to follow him. This is the first mention of the cross in Matthew’s gospel as a requirement for following Jesus. Faith was the criterion up to now (Mt 8,11).
Sayings about losing one’s life in order to find it are the most frequently quoted in the gospels – repeated six times. They are a self- description of Jesus.
To welcome an apostle is to give him food (10,10), and to listen to his words (10,14). As the apostles are representatives of Jesus, to welcome them is to receive Jesus himself, and to welcome Jesus is to welcome the Father who sent him. To offer hospitality to the earthly envoys of Jesus (the apostles) is to receive the earthly envoy of the Father, and ultimately the Father Himself. The notion of “apostle” expressed here is closely linked to the rabbinic idea of shaliah – a messenger empowered to act on behalf of their sender. The shaliah/messenger of somebody is treated as if they were the person that they represent – similar to our modern notion of ambassador. (Mt.18,5; Mk 9,37; Lk 10,16; jn 13,20).
Hospitality to a prophet or holy person earns the same rewards due to them. The disciples here are called little ones – humble, with no sense of their own self-importance. Later, in Mt.25,31-46, Jesus will remind us that as we do a kindness to the least ones (the hungry, thirsty naked, sick and prisoners) we do it to him.
A cup of cold water would be a welcome gift in the Palestinian sunshine.
In his missionary sermon (Mt. Ch. 10) Jesus calls the disciples to be his followers, (10,10). He sends them out to preach the kingdom (10,7,16), he encourages them in the face of trials and opposition (10,26-33), tells them the cost of being an apostle (10,37-39), and in the end of his sermon he addresses those who will be their listeners. (10,40-42).
This gospel sets out the cost of discipleship, carrying the cross of Christ. There is no such thing as cheap salvation. Our salvation was bought at the cost of the death of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
What cross do you take up and carry? Have you ever given up something for Jesus? ( Fasted or abstained from something out of love for him?). Or taken up something for him? Eg. more prayer?
To lose one’s life for Jesus’ sake is to find it. What does that mean to you?
From our Christian calling in Baptism, each of us is called and sent out to be disciples, to witness to the gospel. What do you do about it?
Fr Geoff O’Grady