Luke's gospel is noteworthy for its contrasts. On the one hand, it shows the radical and uncompromising demands that Jesus makes on those who would be his followers and, at the same time, emphasises as none of the other gospels do the gentleness and compassion of Jesus for the sinful and the weak. Both pictures have to be kept in view and they are in no way contradictory. In today's passage we see Jesus surrounded by a huge crowd of people. Do they want to follow him or just see the latest wonders? They must have been appalled by his words: If anyone comes after him and is not prepared to hate father and mother...and indeed his very own self, he cannot be accepted as a disciple. This is a very shocking demand, especially for a society where people's whole lives were centred on their families. Of course 'hate' is not to be understood literally from Someone who preached unconditional love for all. It is rather a dramatic way of saying that anyone who puts any person, even those closest to them, before total commitment to Christ and his mission is not ready to be a disciple. There can be no compromise here; it is all or nothing. Am I ready for this? What are the things I cannot let go of? And why? But remember, to be a disciple of Jesus means being absolutely free.