Today’s Gospel is shocking indeed. Jesus seems to preach hate: “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.” Does Jesus really want us to hate those the commandments teach us to honor? Does Jesus really want us to hate ourselves? The answer is no. Jesus does want to shock us and to challenge us to realize the true cost of discipleship, of being his follower. Matthew’s version of Jesus’ saying is a little less shocking but just as challenging: “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” (Matthew 10:37). The message is that Jesus comes first. Jesus’ way comes first because as the Son of God he shows us God’s will and way.
Jesus’ way and challenge goes even deeper as today’s Gospel continues: “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Jesus does not want us to look for pain and suffering. Jesus himself did not seek out the cross, his will was to avoid the cross:
“He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will.” (Mark 14:35-36).
But Jesus did not allow the cross to divert him from doing his Father’s will. In the same way Jesus challenges us as his disciples to not allow our crosses to divert us from following the way of Jesus and doing our heavenly Father’s will.
St. Paul reminds us in today’s first reading that God empowers us to follow the way of Jesus: “For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work.” With the faith and trust of Jesus we pray to our Heavenly Father in the words of Jesus: “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will.”
Image: “IMG_6467GBB Eustache Le Sueur. 1616-1655. Paris. Jésus portant sa croix. Jesus carrying his cross. 1651. Louvre.” by jean louis mazieres is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.