ACC ~ Luke 14 v25 - 35

OVERVIEW:

There is a great paradox here. On the one hand we are to love our enemies, but on the other, we are to hate our families insofar as they are an obstacle to eternal life (AUGUSTINE). Jesus is not saying that we cannot love our family, but we dare not love them more than we love him (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). At the same time, we cannot let our natural mother and our affections for her supersede our love for holy mother church, which nourishes us with food that lasts for eternity (AUGUSTINE). What Jesus is calling us to is to be crucified, to die and be buried with him in baptism (BASIL THE GREAT).

The apostles serve as examples of those who have left everything behind to carry the cross (TERTULLIAN). The cross comes at the end of the list of the costs of discipleship. Death for Christ is the final trial to be endured by Jesus’ disciples (SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN). Both parables teach that to be a disciple of Jesus requires invincible fortitude and unwavering zeal (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). On Christ, the foundation of the tower, virtue is built and produced in the life of the Christian (GREGORY OF NYSSA).

This leads to the final requirement of discipleship and the other purpose of the parables: renouncing possessions. The citizenship of those who follow Christ is in heaven (BASIL THE GREAT). Like the savor of the Word of God, let there be salt in your life to bring salvation (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). The seriousness of the discipleship requirements is summed up by Jesus’ final words: “The one having ears to hear, let him hear” (ORIGEN).

14:25-27 | Hating Family and Carrying the Cross

THE PARADOX OF LOVING ENEMIES AND HATING ONE’S OWN FAMILY

AUGUSTINE: On another occasion, the Lord says, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own soul, cannot be my disciple.” As a rule, this is more upsetting to the mind of new Christians who are eager to begin at once to live in accordance with the precepts of Christ. To those who do not fully grasp its meaning, it would seem contradictory. … He has condescended to call his disciples to the eternal kingdom. He also called them brothers. In the kingdom these relationships are transcended, because “there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither slave nor freeman, but Christ is all things and in all.” [1] The Lord says, “For in the resurrection they will neither be married nor marry, but will be as the angels of God in heaven.” [2] Whoever wishes to prepare himself now for the life of that kingdom must not hate people but those earthly relationships through which the present life is sustained, the temporary life that begins at birth and ends with death. Whoever does not hate this necessity does not yet love that other life in which there will be no condition of birth and death, the condition that makes marriages natural on earth. SERMON ON THE MOUNT 15. [3]

[1] Gal 3:28; Col 3:11

[2] Mt 22:30.

[3] FC 11:60-61**.

JESUS PERMITS US TO LOVE FAMILY BUT NOT MORE THAN GOD

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: He says, “He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” [1] By adding “more than me,” it is plain that he permits us to love, but not more than we love him. He demands our highest affection for himself and that very correctly. The love of God in those who are perfect in mind has something in it superior both to the honor due to parents and to the natural affection felt for children. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 105. [2]

[1] Mt 10:37.

[2] CGSL 421-22**.

THE CHURCH IS THE HOLY MOTHER OF YOUR NATURAL MOTHER

AUGUSTINE: The Lord gives the signal for us to stand guard in camp and to build the tower from which we may recognize and ward off the enemy of our eternal life. The heavenly trumpet of Christ urges the soldier to battle, and his mother holds him back. …

What does she say or what argument does she give? Perhaps is it those ten months when you lay in her womb and the pangs of birth and the burden of rearing you? You must kill this with the sword of salvation. You must destroy this in your mother that you may find her in life eternal. Remember, you must hate this in her if you love her, if you are a recruit of Christ and have laid the foundations of the tower. Passers by may not say, “This man began to build and was not able to finish.” That is earthly affection. It still has the ring of the “old man.” [1] Christian warfare invites us to destroy this earthly affection both in ourselves and in our relatives. Of course, no one should be ungrateful to his parents or mock the list of their services to him, since by them he was brought into this life, cherished and fed. A man should always pay his family duty, but let these things keep their place where higher duties do not call.

Mother church is also the mother of your mother. She conceived you both in Christ. … Know that her Spouse took human flesh that you might not be attached to fleshly things. Know that all the things for which your mother scolds you were undertaken by the eternal Word that you might not be subject to the weakness of flesh. Ponder his humiliations, scourging and death, even the death of the cross. [2] LETTER 243. [3]

[1] Eph 4:22; Col 3:9; Rom 6:6.

[2] Mt 20:19; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:32-33; Jn 19:1-3; Phil 2:8.

[3] :1–24:53 PRELIMINARY REMARKS | ON THE GOSPEL

TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS

BASIL THE GREAT: The Father did not send the only-begotten Son, the living God, to judge the world but to save the world. [1] True to himself and faithful to the will of the good God his Father, he points to a doctrine whereby we may be made worthy of becoming his disciples with his severe decree. He says, “If any man comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, and his wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” This hatred teaches the virtue of piety by withdrawing us from distractions and does not lead us to devise hurtful schemes against one another. “Whoever,” says the Lord, “does not carry his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Receiving the baptism of water, we make this same agreement when we promise to be crucified and to die and to be buried with him. [2] CONCERNING BAPTISM 1.1. [3]

[1] Jn 12:47.

[2] Rom 6:4-11.

[3] FC 9:346-47**.

THE APOSTLES LEFT EVERYTHING

TERTULLIAN: If you want to be the Lord’s disciple, you must take up your cross and follow the Lord. Take up your stress and your tortures or at least your body, which is like a cross. Parents, wives, children are all to be left for God’s sake. Are you hesitating about crafts, businesses and professions for the sake of children or parents? The proof that family as well as crafts and business are to be left for the Lord’s sake was given us when James and John were called by the Lord and left both father and ship. It was given when Matthew was roused from the seat of custom and when faith allowed no time even to bury a father. ON IDOLATRY 12. [1]

[1] LCC 5:96*.

THE FORM OF MARTYRDOM AMID CIVIL PEACE IS THE DEATH OF SELF-WILL

SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN: I heard his holy voice speaking to all without distinction. “He who does not leave father and mother and brothers and all that he possesses and take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” I learned from Scripture and from experience itself that the cross comes at the end for no other reason than that we must endure trials and tribulations and finally voluntary death itself. In times past, when heresies prevailed, many chose death through martyrdom and various tortures. Now, when we through the grace of Christ live in a time of profound and perfect peace, we learn for sure that cross and death consist in nothing else than the complete putting to death of self-will. He who pursues his own will, however slightly, will never be able to observe the law of Christ the Savior. DISCOURSES 20.1. [1]

[1] SNTD 232**.

14:28-32 | The Parables of the Tower and the King Preparing for War

THE PARABLES TEACH FORTITUDE AND ZEAL

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Next he uses two examples to encourage his friends to an unconquerable strength and to establish those who want to attain to honors by patience and endurance in an unwavering zeal. If anyone wants to build a tower, he first counts if he has sufficient means to finish it. Otherwise when he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, people will laugh at him. Those who choose to lead a glorious and blameless life should store up beforehand in their mind a sufficient zeal. They should remember him who says, “My son, if you come close to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for every temptation. Make your heart straight and endure.” [1] How will those who do not have this zeal be able to reach the goal that is set before them?

“Or what king,” he says, “wishing to make war with another king, does not consider with himself, whether with his ten thousand he can prevail over one who is more mighty than himself?” What does this mean? “We do not wrestle against blood and flesh, but against governments, empires, the world rulers of this present darkness, and wicked spirits in the heavenly regions.” [2] We also have a crowd of other enemies. They are the fleshly mind, the law that rages in our members, passions of many kinds, the lust of pleasure, the lust of the flesh, the lust of wealth, and others. We must wrestle with these. This is our savage troop of enemies. How will we conquer? “We will conquer believing that in God we shall do courageously,” as Scripture says, “and he will bring to nothing those that oppress us.” [3] COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 105. [4]

[1] Sir 2:1.

[2] Eph 6:12.

[3] Ps 59:12 LXX.

[4] CGSL 423**.

VIRTUE BUILT ON THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE TOWER

GREGORY OF NYSSA: The Gospel somewhere says that a person who begins to build a tower but stops with the foundations and never completes it is ridiculous. What do we learn from this parable? We learn that we should work to bring every aspiration to a conclusion, completing the work of God by an elaborate building up of his commandments. One stone does not make a complete tower, nor does one commandment bring the perfection of the soul to its desired measure. It is necessary to both erect the foundation and, as the apostle says, “to lay upon it a foundation of gold and precious stones.” [1] That is what the products of the commandments are called by the prophet when he says, “I have loved your commandment more than gold and much precious stone.” [2] ON VIRGINITY 18. [3]

[1] 1 Cor 3:12.

[2] Ps 118:127 LXX.

[3] FC 58:56*.

14:33 | Leaving Possessions Behind

OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN

BASIL THE GREAT: Whoever would truly be a follower of God must break the bonds of attachment to this life. This is done through complete separation from and forgetfulness of old habits. It is impossible for us to achieve our goal of pleasing God unless we snatch ourselves away from fleshly ties and worldly society. We are then transported to another world in our manner of living. The apostle said, “But our citizenship is in heaven.” [1] The Lord specifically said, “Likewise every one of you that does not renounce all that he possesses cannot be my disciple.” THE LONG RULES 5. [2]

[1] Phil 3:20.

[2] FC 9:242-43*.

14:34-35 | The Parable of the Salt

THE TASTY SALT IS THE WORD OF GOD

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: “Salt is good, but if the salt becomes tasteless, with what can it be seasoned? It is cast out,” he says. He continues, “Let there be salt in you,” that is, the divine words that bring salvation. If we despise these, we become tasteless, foolish and utterly useless. The congregation of the saints must throw out these things, by the gift of mercy and love to them from Christ, the Savior of us all. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 105. [1]

[1] CGSL 423*.

PEOPLE OF GOD ARE THE PRESERVATIVE OF THE WORLD

ORIGEN: People of God are truly the salt of the earth. They preserve the order of the world. Society is held together as long as the salt is uncorrupted. If the salt lost its savor, it is neither suitable for the land or the manure pile. It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “He that has ears, let him hear” the meaning of these words. When God gives to the tempter permission to persecute us, then we suffer persecution. When God wishes us to be free from suffering even in the middle of a world that hates us, we enjoy a wonderful peace. We trust in the protection of him who said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” [1] AGAINST CELSUS 8.70. [2]

[1] Jn 16:33.

[2] ANCL 23:553-54*.