Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
To follow Jesus is demanding! Today he makes that clear.
He tells us that we must love him more than our parents and our children. “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Now, note that Jesus does not demand that we refuse to love our parents and our children. In fact, we must do that, but it is a matter of priority here. God must be loved first and with all our heart, mind and soul — and then, next, our neighbor (including our parents and our children) as ourselves. The truth is the more we put God first, the greater we want to love those around us.
Jesus then tells us to pick up our cross and follow him. When those in ancient Israel first heard this saying of his they were scandalized. Why would they pick up an instrument of shame and torture? However, it is just another example of what is demanded of those who follow Jesus, as he clarifies in his next statement, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” To find all we must give all.
When John the Baptist encountered Jesus along the banks of the Jordan, he said, “He must increase and I must decrease” (John 3:30). In the same way, we must empty ourselves of all that would keep us from loving Christ so that he might live completely in us, or as St. Francis put it, “For, it is in giving that we receive.”
Have a blessed week everyone.