He will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.

8 SEPTEMBER (Lk 14,25-33)

Even if the inspiring principle is different, we can apply to the words of Jesus what the Lord commands Gideon, before going to battle against the Midianites.

Early the next morning Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) encamped by Enharod with all his soldiers. The camp of Midian was in the valley north of Gibeath-hammoreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many soldiers with you for me to deliver Midian into their power, lest Israel vaunt itself against me and say, ‘My own power brought me the victory.’ Now proclaim to all the soldiers, ‘If anyone is afraid or fearful, let him leave.'” When Gideon put them to this test on the mountain, twenty-two thousand of the soldiers left, but ten thousand remained. The Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many soldiers. Lead them down to the water and I will test them for you there. If I tell you that a certain man is to go with you, he must go with you. But no one is to go if I tell you he must not.” When Gideon led the soldiers down to the water, the Lord said to him, “You shall set to one side everyone who laps up the water as a dog does with its tongue; to the other, everyone who kneels down to drink.” Those who lapped up the water raised to their mouths by hand numbered three hundred, but all the rest of the soldiers knelt down to drink the water. The Lord said to Gideon, “By means of the three hundred who lapped up the water I will save you and will deliver Midian into your power. So let all the other soldiers go home.” Their horns, and such supplies as the soldiers had with them, were taken up, and Gideon ordered the rest of the Israelites to their tents, but kept the three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Go, descend on the camp, for I have delivered it up to you. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your aide Purah. When you hear what they are saying, you will have the courage to descend on the camp.” So he went down with his aide Purah to the outposts of the camp. The Midianites, Amalekites, and all the Kedemites lay in the valley, as numerous as locusts. Nor could their camels be counted, for these were as many as the sands on the seashore. When Gideon arrived, one man was telling another about a dream. “I had a dream,” he said, “that a round loaf of barley bread was rolling into the camp of Midian. It came to our tent and struck it, and as it fell it turned the tent upside down.” “This can only be the sword of the Israelite Gideon, son of Joash,” the other replied. “God has delivered Midian and all the camp into his power.” When Gideon heard the description and explanation of the dream, he prostrated himself. Then returning to the camp of Israel, he said, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your power.” (Judges 7,1-15).

Comfort, fright, fears, uncertainties exclude from being the true kingdom of God. Jesus calls for the gift of the whole life, without reservation, without fear and without turning back. Whoever starts must bring his gift to fulfillment. Jesus asks every one of us to assess his intentions, his strength, his will, resolve and determination. If one is afraid to give his life to the executioner, he cannot be a true follower of Jesus. Jesus asks to be martyrs for him in spirit and body. Ours is a life given.

Great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and addressed them, “If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

Jesus does not want forced Christians, of circumstance, of celebration and of various opportunities. He does not even want them for the celebration of this or that other sacrament. He wants them forever.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us true disciples of Jesus.