The gospel this Sunday presents us with words of Jesus that are both surprising and unsettling. Large crowds are following him, attracted by his message and his presence. Yet Jesus does not rejoice at the popularity. Instead, he turns to the people and speaks words that sound harsh: “Whoever does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple… Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple… None of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.”
How strange! We are so accustomed to thinking of success in terms of numbers—how many attend Mass, how many belong to our groups, how many “like” what we do. Numbers can be useful for reflection, but they can also mislead us. They can tempt us to pride, to the illusion that more always means better. Jesus teaches us something else: discipleship is not about quantity but about quality. It is about love that is courageous, radical, and free.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus calls his followers a “little flock,” a grain of salt, a mustard seed. Small, fragile, insignificant in the eyes of the world—yet capable of transforming everything. The Church is not great because of influence or prestige, but she is great when she is faithful to the Gospel, even when it is costly.
Jesus gives three conditions for discipleship. First, to place him above every other relationship. This does not mean despising our families or loving them less. Rather, it means loving them more—but in him. True love never enslaves; it sets free. When family, friends, or even our own desires block the path of the Gospel, then we must have the courage to put Christ first.
The second condition: to carry the cross. This isn’t passively resigning or seeking suffering but a call to fidelity. The cross appears when we choose honesty over convenience, forgiveness over resentment, service over selfishness. It may bring ridicule, misunderstanding, rejection, or even persecution and death in some parts of the world. Yet, disciples carry it with love, following Jesus’s way.
The third condition: to renounce possessions. Jesus does not invite us to misery but to freedom. Possessions are not evil, but they easily enslave us. Think of the first Christian community: “They held everything in common… and there was no one in need among them.” That is the joy of detachment—everything is gift, everything is shared.
Brothers and sisters, discipleship is serious. It is not a hobby, not a pastime, not only for the devout few. It is the path of love—demanding, beautiful, and life-giving. Jesus does not want half-hearted followers. He wants friends who trust him completely.
Let us ask the Holy Spirit for the courage to put Christ above all, to carry our crosses with love, and to live free from possessions. Then we will be His true disciples: small, yes, but filled with the flavour of the Gospel.
Father Josekutty Mathew CMF
