Homilies

9th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: CHRISTIANITY WITH DISCIPLESHIP

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Protestant theologian who wrote a book entitled, The Cost of Discipleship, which has been considered as a Christian classic. In this book, he reflected on grace and discipleship. He describes cheap grace, as “grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.” In contrast, costly grace is the gospel and it is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ and it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. Finally, he says that “Christianity without discipleship is Christianity without Christ.”

This is a good point for departure for understanding the meaning of the gospel this Sunday. Some people think that it is easy to become a Christian, and Christianity can be a religion of convenience. But they are wrong! Jesus shows in the gospel that Christianity does not come “cheap.” It has demands that we must fulfill.

First, Jesus said that “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” Let us take note that one requirement of salvation is the confession of Jesus as Lord. This is clear in the Letter of Paul to the Romans. (10:9) at which the sacred author says, “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Confessing Jesus as Lord, as the Master of our lives, is very important to our faith life. Our faith should be anchored in the person of Jesus who is our Lord and Savior. This is an ordinary experience of Christian. There is no doubt that ordinary Christians have made such a confession. While St Paul says that the confession leads us to salvation, Jesus gives as a warning: “Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord’ will enter God’s kingdom.” So, what is the other requirement for entering it? Let us go to the next point.

Second, Jesus explains that those who will be saved are those “who do the will of my Father in heaven.”  Jesus spells out with greater clarity that action speaks louder than words. Confessing may be an easy thing to do. But “doing the Father’s will” is another thing and is a difficult thing to do. Jesus expects his disciples to practice what they preach, and live what they believe. This is a good reminder because most people think that following the God’s commandments and the Church’s precepts are no longer important. Indeed, they are important!

Thus, it is clear in the teachings of Jesus that it is not actually easy to be become a Christian. Christ warns us that there is no room for self-complacency in our life. Going to Church on Sundays, for instance, is not about feeling. If I feel going I would, and if I feel not going I wouldn’t go. Rather it is an obligation that must be accompanied by our love for God.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is right! Most of the things we do are in line with “cheap grace.” But we need to correct this. Grace is costly and Christianity is costly because it calls us to discipleship and obedience. If we fall short of discipleship and obedience, then, let us examine our Christianity. It may be a Christianity without Christ.

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