September 05, 2010
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Context is important. A great crowd is "traveling" with Jesus. But how many are willing to follow Jesus and become his disciples? Jesus challenges 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." "Hating" is a shocking word. Jesus may be using an Hebraic idiom that means "loving less than" or "detachment." The ancient world did not have a sense of individualism. Identity and social status were derived from family and clan. Jesus is demanding a total commitment that has a higher priority even above the claim of one's family or very self. In our Gospel (Luke 10:25) Jesus commands: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Is it possible to both love and hate who/what is precious in the world? Ironically, later in the Gospel (Luke: 18:28) Peter puts it bluntly: "Look we left all we had to follow you!" Jesus responds: "In truth I tell you, there is no one who has left house, wife, brother, parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God who will not receive many times as much in the present age, and, in the world to come, eternal life." St. Paul, an old man in prison, writes Philemon to accept Onesimus back not as a runaway slave but as a brother in Christ. The old order is passing away. Like Paul, an old man, I ask couples who come to marry each other at Annunciation to promise to go to Mass and deepen their friendship with Jesus. They will discover in time that the giving of affection and loyalty to Jesus will transform their your love and fidelity in marriage. When we come to Jesus with detachment and commitment, there will be a blessing of love for others.
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22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
