23rd SUNDAY in ORDINARY TIME

Gospel Bullet Points (Luke 14:25-33)

• Jesus says that whoever comes to him to be a disciple should hate his own family—father, mother, brothers, and sisters, and even himself (Lk 14:27). Then Jesus makes another demand, saying that those who will be his disciples must carry their own crosses.
• Do I need to reject my father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even my own life as a way of following Jesus (Lk 14:27)? Hating those we love and carrying our crosses are not that appealing and attractive. The call of Jesus to renounce everything to become His disciple seems too top-heavy.
• But what Jesus is really saying is that putting your family, or any relationship, for that matter, before or ahead of God or putting your interests before God, will not make you a true and authentic disciple. If your family or your desires distract you from God, a radical modification is needed. JESUS IS ASKING FOR OUR TOTAL COMMITMENT and expects us to live the Gospel and share the Good News with others—and doing all these entails a great cost… great sacrifice.
• A true disciple must be someone who is truly and madly in love with Christ in such a way that the love of parents, and children (and love of spouse) assume secondary importance. Not only the love of family but the love of self becomes secondary as well. Jesus does not go against the commandment to love father and mother. He simply states that he cannot accept people whose commitment and promises are half-hearted or temporary. In short, Jesus must be NUMBER ONE on your PRIORITY list.