Sisters and brothers in Christ, Jesus' words in today's Gospel may sound harsh because the commandments tell us to love our father and mother and our neighbors, particularly our families. How are we to reconcile this for ourselves and follow Christ?
Well, I think this verse from Saint Paul's letter to the Philippians (today's Gospel Acclamation) can help us. Saint Paul wrote: "I consider all things so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him." You see, love for various things in our lives - jobs, material goods, etc. - does not rise to the level of our love for our families. Jesus challenges us a step further.
Love for family is extremely important; Jesus was born into a family with Mother Mary and foster-father Joseph. Yet, love for family does not rise to the level of our love for God because He is our Father in heaven, our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Sanctifier. The greatest Commandment says it all: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30).
Therefore, when we rightly order our lives with love of God as our priority, everything else in our lives fall into place. At its core, this is what it means to take up our cross and follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
. . .
Gospel of the Day
As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey, someone said to him,
"I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus answered him,
"Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."
And to another he said, "Follow me."
But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God."
And another said, "I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home."
Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."
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