“If
anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers
and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” (Lk 14:25)
The first time
I read this passage, I was surprised by Jesus’s words. How could Jesus, who
admonishes us to love one another, tell us to hate our own families? Referring
to the footnotes in my study bible, I learned that in the Hebraic culture of
the time, the use of the word “hate” in this context was an emphatic way to
express total detachment.
This admonition
holds special meaning for those called to forsake family life for a priestly
vocation, but it is also a reminder to all Christians that no one should ever
take the place of God in our lives. Many of us can recall at least one time in
our past when a romantic relationship, a close friendship, or a beloved family
member occupied the place in our hearts that was meant for God alone. If our
commitment to follow Christ is not strong, we might find ourselves idolizing a person
in place of God.
In Paul’s
letter, he speaks of his dear friend Onesimus, who had become like a son to
him, a beloved child of his old age and a comfort in his imprisonment. Although
he finds it difficult to let Onesimus go, Paul does not cling to this
relationship. Releasing him to his previous master, Paul says, “I am sending
him, that is, my own heart, back to you,” asking that he be received as a brother
in Christ, no longer a slave.
Be willing to
let go of whomever or whatever concerns you, even your child, “your own heart.”
Give God full authority over your life, your worries, and your family members; consecrate
all that you love to His Divine Mercy and trust Him to care for them better
than you could yourself.
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