Difficult to
see the scenes from the Bahamas. As of last night, 43 lives were lost and an estimated
70,000 are homeless.
It was good
to see cruise lines helping. Usually they are making money from their cruises.
Now they are bringing food and aid. One cruise line is offering free evacuation
from Grand Bahama Island.
I’m sure
there were some unhappy cruisers when the routes changed – hey, this is not the
cruise I signed up for! That’s why you must read the terms and conditions.
Jesus is
giving us his terms and conditions – if we wish to be his disciples – and they
are not easy ones!
1) If anyone comes without hating
father, mother, family, cannot be my disciple – what? What about love one another as I have loved
you?
Gale Sayers
was a great running back for the Chicago Bears. He used to wear a medal around
his neck – I Am Third. His track coach at Kansas used to keep a plaque on his
desk with those words. He asked coach what did that mean?
“The Lord is
first, my friends are second and I am third. “ From that point on, it became
Gale Sayer’s motto. Jesus is telling us –
put God first – always!!!
2) Renounce all your possessions – how can
I live? Of course we need things – but we can be possessed by possessions! How
much do we really need.
When St.
Francis began to turn his life to God, he noticed that the poor struggled to
have clothing and his dad had lots of cloth. He began to give it away to the poor.
His dad became very angry and complained to the Bishop of Assisi. In a famous
moment, Francis took off all his clothes and gave them to his father – now I
have only one father – Our Father In Heaven.
Do not be possessed by possessions!
3) Take up your cross – the burdens of
life big and small and come follow me. Sometimes I complain about my crosses –
will my foot ever get better – Doc told me this week it may be at least another
year!
But then I
went to see Corey at NYU Hospital. He was 2 months without a seizure but last
Monday, he was clobbered. Now they have to change the meds again. And there was
Corey and his mom trying to stay positive, trying to keep their faith strong –
and I think I have a heavy cross???
The
theologian Deitrich Bonhoeffer used to speak about “cheap grace.” Costs nothing.
There has to be a cost to be worth anything. When Jesus spoke of these things,
he was on his way to Jerusalme to accept his own cross.
Now he is
looking for real disciples – who will put God first – who will carry crosses
with him. He has laid out the terms and conditions – do you wish to join him?
