"Now large crowds were traveling with [Jesus]; and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:25-27
What a way to begin the Church Education Year! The readings obliterate any idea we may have had that Jesus will share his space in our life with anybody or anything else. How can we embrace his words as we travel with Jesus?
Consider what it means to "hate" someone. (Webster's definition for hate: intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury; extreme dislike or antipathy.) We hate people and groups whose interests consistently conflict with our own. People whose behavior threatens one's own survival interests are to be hated.
Jesus knew first hand the requirement he was imposing upon his followers. As he surrendered to the will of God, there were times that his family members and friends questioned his actions. They wondered about his motives. They advised him to try other avenues. However, God was at the center of everything Jesus saught. Jesus was not called to survive. He was called to die so that the power of the resurrection could be unleashed. Any diversion or distraction from that divine purpose was detrimental --in conflict -- and therefore, hated.
As disciples, now, we live with a tension between unconditional love and radical hatred. Christ's love in our heart enables us to love family members who are supportive as well as those who are amongst the unlovable ones in the world, even the ones who have committed seemingly unforgiveable deeds. However, Christ's love in our heart also clarifies our purpose -- our call to serve others -- so clearly that if any family member, or friend, or colleague serves to divert or distract us from living as radically loving, selfless, serving followers of Christ, we are to hate them.
Tough love... yet as we strive to maintain a pure, clear focus upon Christ we can trust that in that center, which is God's Infinite love, we will be united in ways that transcend any expression of human relationship...whether it is one of love or of hate.
Your comments?
ps...read "Praying the Mystery" from Sept. 10!
1 comment:
It's said that the opposite of love is not hate---but apathy. If that is the case, then 'hating' forms the opposite and extreme spectrum from love--so when one experiences the extreme out of balance on one side, the only direction can be followed is toward love in order to achieve peace within.
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