The Way to Jerusalem

A story from a book by Brian Cavanaugh tells of a very rich Texan who threw a big party for his daughter.  Now, he was a very rich Texan with tens and thousands of acres of land, thousands of cattle, hundreds of oil producing wells, a 29-room mansion with a swimming pool, and a beautiful young daughter.  For this party he invited all the eligible young men he knew to meet his daughter. 

After the party had been going on for some time, he called everyone out to the pool for an announcement.  He lined up all the young men at one end of the Olympic-size pool, which he had filled with snakes and alligators, and said, “To the first one of you who jumps into the pool and swims to the other end I will give the choice of $1 million, a thousand acres of choice land, or the hand of my daughter in marriage.”

No sooner were the words out of the Texan’s mouth, than there was a splash at the far end and a streak went across the pool.  A young man emerged, setting what must have equalled an Olympic record.

The Texan approached the young man and asked if he wanted the million dollars.  The man said, “No thank you.”  Then he was asked if he wanted the thousand acres.  Again the young man said, “No, thank you.” 

Well, then, the Texan said, “You must want the hand of my lovely daughter in marriage.” 

“No, thank you,” replied the young man.

“Well, son, then just what is it that you want?”

“What I want, sir, is to know the name of the guy, who pushed me into the pool!”

What is the connection between today’s readings and this story of the young man, you may ask. The answer is – motivation or urgency and oneness of purpose.  For the young man – it’s to survive the danger. How about for Jesus?  It’s the urgency of doing the Father’s will.

Luke is the evangelist of God’s kindness and mercy. How then may we explain the particularly demanding tone of this passage? The reason is that it introduces a new stage in the life of Jesus. 

The time has come to leave Galilee and to “go up to Jerusalem.” For Jesus, this is a turning point, a threshold, a crucial decision committing his whole life.  To remain in Galilee is to prolong the easy life of his first successes, to give in to the temptation of becoming a temporal Messiah, to be an idol of the crowds, striving for self-interest, to be in the limelight, a super star.

To go up resolutely to Jerusalem is to accept concretely the will of the Father, which is that Jesus should surrender his life.   It is to break away from the past and to move on into an uncertain future in accordance with the Father’s will. 

We should not be surprised that, in such a context, Jesus is brought to formulate clearly, and even brutally, the evangelical “letting go” that marks his following in the service of the kingdom. 

There are moments in any Christian’s life as well as in the history of the Church, when it is necessary to let go of the past securities and to tear oneself from Galilean tranquility, out of faithfulness to the Lord and to his mission.

For us, too, there come decisive moments in our lives – like entering marriage, choosing a career, accepting or rejecting a job offer, or working abroad.  In all these situations you have to make up your mind; to take it or leave it.  But after you have made your decision, you cannot go on weighing the positive and negative considerations.  Once you have made your choice, you have to face the consequences. 

It is such decisions that today’s Gospel speaks about. Jesus has firmly taken the road to Jerusalem, the city where he will suffer, but also the city where he will be glorified and the city where Christianity will begin.

As Jesus is going to Jerusalem, he teaches his disciples and us what the core of his doctrine is and what really matters.  Clear decisiveness, rejecting all cowardice, a courageous view of the future are things of very great importance.

The three examples in today’s Gospel of the conditions for following Jesus make this strikingly clear. 

Those who want to follow Jesus become homeless displaced people.  In today’s life there is no place for Jesus and his way.  And so also his follower is an outsider, a man or woman incompatible with this world and its values, for he or she does not belong there.  His or her life is based on other values. 

Those who want to share the life and destiny of Jesus must know what is asked of them.  They have to let go of their disorderly attachment to their families, their relatives and acquaintances, to their possessions and a comfortable life.  They have to keep their mind free and their way turned to the future. 

The most normal duties and bonds are made relative.  One thing is essential and everything else has to give way to this: the mentality with which we have to accompany Jesus on his way.

We read that the gate of a Samaritan Village remained closed to Jesus because he and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem.  The disciples thought that this was too hostile and insulting, and they wanted to retaliate immediately by calling down fire from heaven.  They wanted to act as judges of the world and to set things right.  Jesus sternly rejects this violence, for the Son of Man has come not to destroy life but to give life.

What does the following of Jesus demand?  To leave the final say in everything to God alone and to live consistently according to the law with all its consequences, with love as its norm.  By all means, we have to avoid judging superficially and reacting immediately.                                

Can we do so, if we are rejected, if we are misunderstood, if we are made to suffer?  Couldn’t we add to the three examples of the Gospel a large number of cases taken from everyday life?  How often does it happen that we do not keep our duties and agreements and barely give them a second thought? 

There is always something to do that is apparently more important, and that is to be taken care of first.  We keep finding excuses to help us to avoid serving the Church and the parish.  Yet the call of Jesus remains radical.  He dismisses our lame excuses, however clever and beautiful they may be.  He shows us how empty they are.

Today is a good day to reflect on what it means to be a Christian.  Have we not become too complacent by approving of so many things, like corruption in public office, dishonesty, divorce, extramarital affairs, taking advantage of and exploiting the poor, the weak, and the ignorant?

 Well, so many do it.  Why take religion so seriously?  “These are my rights and my freedom.”

When are we disciples Jesus?  Is it only when we come to church occasionally, such as for baptism, a wedding, and a funeral?  A Christian resolutely takes the road to Jerusalem.  It is a road of life that can be painful. 

To be a Christian means that we write the name of God above everything, above our work, above our marriage, above our freedom.  Doing things halfway does not make for joy.  A divided heart remains always a restless heart.

If you let God enter only into a part of your life, if you want to follow Jesus up to a certain point only, you will experience your Christian living as a burden as an unwelcome limitation, a un-freedom, not as an inspiration or a moving force.

If you remain faithful to Jesus in every area of your life, you will also share in the fullness of life that Jesus promises.  For the way to Jerusalem is a way to life and saving happiness.

Let’s close with a familiar prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola:

“Lord, teach me to be generous,

Teach me to serve you as you deserve;

To give and not to count the cost;

To fight and not to heed the wounds;

To toil and not to seek for rest;

To labor and not to ask for any reward;

Except to know – that I am doing Your holy will.”

Amen. GUIDING LIGHT Rev Fr Benjamin Sim, SJ