Early this morning, around 4:30am, was the canonization Mass of now Saint Teresa of Calcutta. We as a Church are given reason to celebrate because showed us how to embody this love for Christ without compromise which was addressed in our gospel. From her relationship with Christ she was able to see the face of Christ in all those who she served; be it the poor, the sick, the dying, or anyone whom she encountered.
Verse 26 of our Gospel sounds pretty harsh: “If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
In the language of the Old Testament words such as “love” and “hate” simply mean to prefer one to the other. From Malachi 1:2-3, “I have loved Jacob but I have hated Esau.” This is to say that Jacob is the one who has been chosen by God.
In light of this we should see the need to put Christ first and thus allow Him to be the one who we commit ourself to. We cannot call ourself a Christian and at the same time be willing to compromise on our relationship with Christ.
Saint Gregory the Great brings this passage into the light for us: “We should have charity towards all- towards relatives and towards strangers- but without separating ourselves from the love of God.” The Second Vatican Council adds to this: “(that Christians should strive) to please God rather than men, always ready to abandon everything for Christ.”
We must now consider for ourself how high of a priority that we make Christ in our life and thus question in what ways that we have allowed our relationship to Him to be compromised by actions which are contrary to the teachings found in the Gospels. Jesus is speaking to us in verse 26 of this Gospel because He is reminding us that we are not to compromise on Him.
Our Gospel concludes with two stories which are a contrast from one another. There is the failure of the man who set out to build, but was not able to finish the project. Then there is the king who is prudent and looks forward to see that he has no chance of victory and thus must settle for peace.
We too must look forward and thus we must look towards the Kingdom of Heaven. We must see that we are called to love God above all things and thus to lead others towards Him. When we chase after worldly affairs in the end we have chased after nothing except after that which will pass away. Rather, we must practice prudence and thus begin to follow after Christ with our whole heart. In this manner we prepare ourself and we prepare others for that joy which will never pass away in the Heavenly Kingdom.
The purpose of this Gospel is not for us to leave here hating our mother, father, wife, children, brothers, or sisters. Rather this Gospel is a reminder that we must never compromise on Christ. That we should pursue Him always thus prudently preparing a place for ourself within the Heavenly Kingdom. We are not called to hate those who surround us, but rather we are called to truly love them by leading them towards Christ.
