Lion and Lamb

Learning how to have a come to Jesus talk

11/04/2021

Lk 14:25-33 Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone 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.”

Do you know what a “come to Jesus” talk is? The website “Dictionary.com” defines it like this: “Any moment or meeting in which a frank, often unpleasant, conversation is held so as to bring to light and/or resolve some issue at hand.” I was fortunate to attend Catholic High School for Boys in Little Rock under the leadership of Fr. George Tribou.

We loved and admired him but we also feared him. If you were ever sent to his office, you knew it was for a “come to Jesus talk.” Fr. Tribou put the fear of God into us boys, and it was a very helpful and humbling thing for arrogant teenage boys who thought they knew it all. I am grateful for all the “come to Jesus talks” I have had from Fr. Tribou and others over the years.

In the gospel Jesus himself gives a “come to Jesus talk” to his followers. He says very sternly: “If anyone 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.” And our Lord does not stop there. He adds that his disciples have to carry their cross, be ready to go into battle, endure the laughter and mockery of the crowds, and basically renounce all their possessions to be worthy to be called Christian. Wow, with friends like that who needs enemies? In other words, Jesus wants to make it crystal clear that discipleship is serious business, and not some Sunday, funday, walk in the park. Jesus himself had to give his disciples a “come to Jesus talk” about what it means to follow him.

But being “stern and serious” is not the only meaning of “come to Jesus.” For example, we hear Jesus say more softly in Mt 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” He goes on: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.” He concludes: “For my yolk is easy, and my burden is light.” What a contrast to the Christ we meet in today’s gospel from Lk 14. We may feel like asking: well, which is it, Jesus? Are you stern or are you soft? Do you want us to walk by fear or walk by faith? Are you the good cop or are you the bad cop?

Well, I would suggest to you Jesus is both, and our Lord always must be both. Why? Well, only then do you have a real and authentic relationship with someone. And our friendship with Jesus is the most real and genuine relationship we can ever have with anyone. In the seminary, they taught us to be a "lion" in the pulpit but a "lamb" in the confessional. In other words, priests have to give one kind of “come to Jesus talk” when they preach to the people. We should be somewhat stern.

But when people come to confession, we should have another “come to Jesus talk.” That is, we should be soft and kind, compassionate and merciful. That is how we help people have a more authentic relationship with the Lord: they see that Jesus is sometimes severe but also sometimes soft. He demands we walk by faith, but also with a healthy dose of fear. Anything less would not be our Lord.

My friends, keep this in mind in your own relationships with each other, as family, as friends, as brothers and sisters in Christ. Why? Well, because we all tend to emphasize either one side too much or the other side. Couples who first fall in love think they will never have to call each other out or correct each other’s mistakes. But that is unrealistic and leads to frustration or worse.

Some parents correct their child incessantly and forget to be the good cop sometimes. Some grandparents may feel: I am tired of being the bad cop, so I am going to give my grandkids whatever they want and spoil them rotten. But that, too, misses the mark. You have probably known pastors here at Immaculate Conception who have either been too permissive or too punishing with their parishioners. Of course, the pastors are perfect now.

All authentic relationships, on the other hand, must balance the two meanings of “come to Jesus.” We must all learn to be a lion in the pulpit and a lamb in the confessional.

Praised be Jesus Christ!