When I was much younger, I was perplexed by Jesus’ use of the word “hate” as in the beginning of this Sunday’s Gospel. However, I discovered that in the Hebrew dialect that Jesus spoke, “hate” was a Semitic expression. Today we should not take it literally. We now think of it as telling us that loving God is more important than anything else. Jesus asks us to put Him first in our hearts. He certainly is not asking us to abandon our families! In the society in which Jesus lived, people’s entire lives centered on their families, as we do also. Jesus used extreme language so that we would not forget what He was asking: namely, our wholehearted commitment to follow His way, live His truth, and share life with Him. The question is: just how important is God in our lives?
When Jesus proclaimed today’s Gospel message, He was on his way to Jerusalem to undergo extreme suffering, to redeem us, and to demonstrate His tremendous love for us. He does ask us however, to share in His suffering so as to attain the reward of eternal life. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). We can take comfort in Jesus’ promise to be with us today and always and to give us the grace and strength to carry our cross. So, invite Him into your heart and He will invite you to follow Him more closely
Discipleship means freedom to love Jesus and others and to say “no” to what holds us back. For example, St. Francis of Assisi left his family and shed his rich and fancy clothes and clothed himself in beggars’ rags. Only then was he filled with tremendous joy and freedom. Dare I ask myself at this stage on my own journey, what I am willing to leave behind to embrace true discipleship?
If I put Jesus as a personal priority, I will find inner peace and grace, even through difficult moments and whatever it is that God sends my way. May it be so!
God bless you!
Sr. Kathleen