2 KINGS 4: 8-11, 14-16
PSALM 88: 2-3, 16-19,
ROMANS 6: 3-4, 8-11
MATTHEW 10: 37-42
Families play a vital role in our human growth. It is there that we first experience love and grow in love. Often our fondest memories are found in being part of a family.
So important is the family in our lives that today’s Gospel passage can seem harsh.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus does not mince his words when he speaks about discipleship. Jesus is to be the centre, the focal point of anyone who wants to be his follower. To make this clear he chose the family, the place seen in all cultures as having a prior place in our hearts. Yet not even the bonds which tie child to mother or father, or parent to child must be allowed to come before one’s attachment to Jesus.
This does not mean that the bonds between parents and children are in any way lessened in the Christian world. Indeed, the command to love must be lived in the home.
However, great as the bonds of true family affection may be, the bond which unites the Christian to Jesus must be greater. Jesus uses this approach not to play down our love for one another, but to show how significant must be the bond between Jesus and his followers.
Would our placing Jesus first affect adversely our relationship with our family? Never! In fact the reverse is true.
In the Marriage Encounter program, run within the Church, its central point is that the most important relationship in a family unit is always between the husband and wife. When that relationship flourishes, all other relationships between parents and children and amongst children also flourishes for everyone lives in a loving environment.
Likewise when we place our relationship with God first. For the person who is open to the love and will of God, will have an even greater love for his or her family and will even give their life for their family. For God’s love always leads to a true love for neighbour.
Jesus then goes on to speak about how we are to show that preference for God first.
When Jesus speaks about carrying our cross and losing our lives, he is calling us to love as he loves. And everything that follows is the way of love.
In a special way this is shown in our hospitality to others. The obstacle to hospitality is often when we become too absorbed with our own money or time.
To welcome a prophet is to love and welcome the Word of God into our lives.
To welcome the holy man is to love and welcome the counsel of God’s Church who speaks for God on earth.
To give cup of cold water to one of these little ones is to support our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In the first reading we see how hospitality always bring God’s blessing. St Paul in the second reading teaches us that a relationship with Christ is to live a new life. It is in this life where true love can be found, for only God is perfect love.
Let us reflect on how great is our love for God.
Would we do anything that God asks of us?