Why
does Jesus say we must “hate” our loved ones and even ourselves? Jesus wanted to make clear the vital point
that for those who wish to follow him, namely, that nothing and no one other
than God should take precedence or first place in our lives. That place is
reserved for God alone. Should we actually hate those who are not God? No, for
the law of love is clearly at the heart of all Gospel teaching. Another way to
express the words of Jesus today in our daily life is that we are to prefer God
to everything and everyone else, and at the same time never neglect the supreme
law of love for one another. In fact, that is one of Jesus’ parting words to
his chosen band: “Love one another as I have loved you”[1]. We
are being asked by the Lord to place our lives totally in his hands with
absolute trust. Handing over our lives to God is going to entail all our effort, but it is
truly worth it. Jesus wishes to give us lasting and true happiness, peace and
joy unending and everlasting life, but it comes at a price. We must be willing
to give all we have to possess what in fact is everything we will ever need.
This is what has been called, “The Gospel without compromise.” It is not about
dollars and cents, though, but spiritual riches, awaiting those who will carry
their cross and actually find themselves being cared for and carried by God. In
comparison with the love God has for us, clinging to any earthly treasures and
pleasure is like walking in utter darkness without a flashlight, when in fact
we are meant to walk in the full light of a sunlit day. God is to hold first
place in our life. Jesus told his followers elsewhere in the Gospels that to do
so, to strive to do God’s will, qualifies such ones as brothers and sisters of
Christ. So we must ask: is God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, holding the most
important place in my life and is my life centered in Christ? Probably none of
us can give a resounding “yes,” to the question, but if we strive for such a
goal with sincerity and perseverance, we have to believe that it is slowly
becoming a reality and that our love for others will attain its full growth as
well. We live in times when commitment to anything and anyone is not
fashionable or easy. Nevertheless, in the depths of our hearts we are all
seeking something that will last and offer us hope in a world asphyxiated by
strife, unhappiness, brokenness and despair. Christ wishes us to belong to him
and to allow him to take all our burdens and weariness upon his infinite
tenderness. Belonging to Christ will not end our sufferings, but will make them
bearable under the shadow of his outstretched arms. God so loved the world that
Christ was sent to earth by God to redeem the human family. Too often our world
is focused on pleasure, possessions and self-seeking, as if these are the
things that really matter. Christ is calling us to something and Someone else.
Christ asks each of us to commit ourselves entirely to the love of God and
neighbor, for a life that is truly fulfilling and that will extend to eternal
life in heaven. Whenever we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, we pledge
ourselves to adhere to Christ, who has called us “out of darkness into his
marvelous light”[2].
We are attracted to that light where we find warmth, nourishment and renewed
energy for our life in Christ, who is our strength, the Bread of Life, given
that we might stay on the path we have been called to walk as followers of the
Lord. We willingly partake of this feast to be united with our Lord, who is
ever our Way, our Truth and our Life • AE
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