Tall Order but Saves

November 6, 2024 Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Philippians 2:12-18; Luke 14:25-33

I am certain that the first thought that comes to mind when one reads the Gospel today is this, “What a harsh order it is to hate my father, mother, wife, children and practically everyone that I love!”.  Or, “I thought God commanded me to honor my father and mother?”. 

Indeed, a tall order. But this is not a contradiction of the commandments. It is a reiteration of the commandments, particularly the first which tells us, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” It tells us to put God first. The First Commandment lays an essential foundation that all the other commandments build upon and this is what the Gospel today is also telling us. We cannot be true disciples of Jesus, we cannot truly love Him, unless we leave everything behind first.

Look at all our reasons why we are not able to truly serve Him. Aren’t these all related to our other commitments and preoccupations? 

The beautiful thing about following God first and leaving everything else behind is that all these that we left behind for God would also fall into their places. When we put God first, He takes care of all our other worries and concerns. How beautiful is that!

Call to Action for Catholic Living: The Lord gives us a tall order. But let us trust His process and allow Him to do wonders in our lives. When we carry our cross, we carry it not with grumbling, but with joy that we share in the suffering of Christ. It is when we walk the way of the cross that we also walk the way to life everlasting.