loses his life for my sake will find."
Matthew 10: 37-42
The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/070223.cfm
A principle of motion states
that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. We know this
well and it is why we wear seat belts in a moving car. If the car stops suddenly without a restraint
holding us we won't stop! We will
continue to move forward with possible dire consequences. If you leave a package on your front seat
while driving and you hit the brakes, that package will continue to move
forward while you stop. We can thank
Isaac Newton for this explanation of obvious motion as a universal principle.
Both science and sports know this well.
In a similar fashion for
every choice there is a consequence. If
I choose to marry or choose freely to enter religious life, the
"consequence" is a more limited personal freedom for example. As a married person I no longer have the
freedom to go where I want or to be with who I want to be with. I must think of the other I have married as
my present and lifelong focus and the effects of my choices on my spouse and
children. Same is true in religious
life. My community, my parish is the
focus of my energy and I have a responsibility to them that outweighs a certain
level of my personal freedom. But, that is not a negative outcome. Rather, any
choice we make for God can only produce something more enriching.
The same principle I think
can be applied to our Christian discipleship.
To follow Jesus demands a sacrificial level of personal freedom but also
great rewards. Jesus calls all of us as
his disciples to recognize that Christianity, if we take it seriously, will
demand of us a choice beyond our comfort level at times. Jesus does not promise
success, fortune and fame if we choose him.
But, rather the cross, losing our life to gain it. Hmmm?
In this Sunday's Gospel,
Jesus makes a statement that is somewhat harsh and may seem dismissive of such
important family connections: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is
not worthy of me . . .” What about the importance of family life? Then he adds to
the demand: “. . . whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is
not worthy of me . . .” The audience to whom Jesus spoke would have been more
than mildly disturbed for family was everything in ancient times.
One source (Sunday Web Site:
University of St. Louis) states: "The
ancient middle eastern family was very large and extended from father to all
his married sons with all their families, living on one place. The ideal
marriage partner was a first cousin . . . The resultant mentality was 'our
family' against 'everyone else."
That's a tight knit family
structure indeed. This is why the parable of the prodigal son was so shocking
since no Jewish son would ever betray his living father in that manner and so
shamelessly bring dishonor on the entire family by doing so.
Yet, while blood lines and
family relationships are important the demands of discipleship are essentially
at play here; likewise, is the measure of our loyalty to Jesus. Do we follow him only when things are easy
and comfortable or can we remain loyal as we share in his cross and the
personal sacrifices demanded by our Christian way of life? As he prepares his
disciples for mission Jesus asks they weigh the level of their commitment to
him and his Gospel.
What we hear from our Lord
this Sunday is that to be a true Christian, we must think beyond the limits
which life imposes. We would never be
asked to renounce our family ties but the demand of Christian love and
sacrifice go beyond the familiar and comfortable. The mission of the Church may demand a
re-prioritizing of our own lives. The
Gospel must be preached to all and not just to those who agree with us. Called as missionary disciples we are challenged
to become witnesses to Christ in this world and there may be times that even
our own family members disagree with us.
Can we still be loyal to the truth which Christ has revealed to us? Can
we respond to such tension with love and respect?
It's interesting that we
often hear from those in the RCIA process for example, that family members of
those who seek to be baptized and come into full communion with the Catholic
Church do not always understand their choice and in some cases may outright
strongly disagree with their embrace of “those Catholics.” It may even be a spouse who is uncomfortable
or a son or daughter who wants nothing to do with Catholics. It’s tough, of course, and somewhat
hurtful. Yet called to loyalty we are
invited to seek the grace to be faithful members and followers of Christ and
his Church.
In the end, as Catholic
Christians, we are essentially agents of Jesus Christ and his Church. The
Church we are born into by baptism, in which we gather for Mass, and the
community of faith that inspires and supports us in our journey is the Body of
Christ and Jesus is the Head of his Church, we are his agents. We all keep in
mind the same common purpose: to be agents of Christ in the world and to bring
others to his Church: to announce the Gospel in a way that is welcoming and
attractive.
In addition, we all who were
“baptized into Christ,” as St. Paul speaks today, live a new life in him. And
the demands of that life mean that what he asks of his disciples today, he asks
of us as well. Will you be my agent in
the world? This is not a demand that we
leave our families behind but rather a challenge to make our position as his
agents in the world, the framework by which we measure what we do. This kind of
commitment to Christ and the Gospel, and by that to his Church, is a very real
thing for many. Sometimes, it is particularly difficult at first.
So the readings, especially our
Gospel this Sunday, are not to disturb us but to remind us that as a Christian
I can’t be simply lukewarm or wishy washy.
Faith is more than a title only but a profound life changing choice to
follow the Lord who should be the center of my spiritual life. That choice has
its demands not for the short term but for eternity. But so does hospitality
and kindness towards others who come as agents of the Lord.
Do I treat my faith as if it
was a hobby or a life time commitment? Is “Catholic” the Church I attend or the
way I see myself in the world? Do I find myself behaving very “Christian” in
public or only when I attend Mass yet during the week I fall back into old
patterns that are more harmful or certainly not productive for my faith
life? Do I allow the Gospel to frame the
kind of person I am? When my faith is
challenged do I really stand up and be counted or do I hide in the safety of
the shadows?
Our gathering to share in
the Body and Blood of Christ is to receive a great act of love from the One who
calls us to join his winning side as it were.
To follow Christ is to make an intentional decision which means that
other priorities have to be measured against the Gospel. Still, after receiving
so much from him how can we offer any less?
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