WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO FOLLOWJESUS?

Significant moments of our lives—like embarking on a new relationship, career path, or state of life—challenge how we weigh or evaluate things. They make us pause and examine ourselves. We consider preparedness: sizing up our situation and figuring out how to tread unknown waters.

This is true in leading a Christian life and in our making the reign of God alive in our midst. Jesus teaches us in today’s Gospel that, like the one building a tower or the king waging a war, we need to sit down, examine our resources, and calculate how to proceed so that we can build our dreams to heights and win the battles we fight. What gifts, charisms, and opportunities do we have to live and share Jesus with others? What weaknesses do we have, and threats do we feel, that prevent us from “seeing Jesus clearly, following Him nearly, loving Him dearly,” to paraphrase Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak’s song Day by Day?

But it is not just about examining our resources and being a good manager. Jesus says, “Whoever does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Daily dying to ourselves, as well as daily fidelity to living out our commitments—no matter how little they may seem—counts as the cost of discipleship.

Preparedness actually is tested in how we carry out our daily Christian task. We do not need to engage in some grand social causes or actions. Our preparedness is anchored on our complete trust and hope in One who journeys with us. The disciple of Christ is always aware of the strength that comes not just from one’s resources, for “who can know your counsel, unless you give wisdom and send your Holy Spirit from on high?” (Wis 9:17).

But of course, God’s ways are not our ways, as Isaiah says (Is 55:8). The film In Thy Name portrays Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, CMF, the priest of Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish and director of Claret School in Tumahubong, Sumisip, Basilan. After being kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf, he was asked to deny his faith in Jesus. He never gave up his Catholic faith, which cost him his life. Even before his martyrdom—God’s special gift—Fr. Rhoel was an amiable classmate of mine, an ever-helping and hardworking priest. People in Basilan talked about how he attended to his parishioners and to teachers who were, during their captivity, losing hope.

St. Paul, in his Letter to Philemon (Second Reading), has shown us the way. Can we emulate him who was willing to stake out his person and dignity so that Onesimus would be taken back by Philemon, Onesimus’ master, more than just a slave, but rather a brother in the Lord? Yes, but only with the help of the Lord, for our discipleship relies on Him who calls us. When we embrace the Lord and decide to follow Him till the end, we also embrace the path that leads to Calvary—and to the empty tomb.