Twenty Third Sunday In Ordinary Time (Year C)

Wisdom 9.13-18;
Ps 89;
Phil 9-10, 12-17;
Luke 14.25-33

1. There are a number of occasions in the sacred scriptures when the Son of God seems to speak with what might appear to be rash exaggeration, hyperbole or an unwarranted intemperance of expression. Today’s gospel contains an example of such expressions like devastating body blows: “If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple.” Interesting words. Words that are hard to chew and digest. Is not love the greatest of the Commandments? Did not the Lord Himself enjoin works of charity and obedience as the perfect fulfilment of the moral Law? Are we really required to cultivate hatred of our closest, nearest and dearest, in order to be an authentic disciple?
2. If some of the saying of Jesus in the gospels which the Church calls the “ipsissima verba Christi”, the actual and very words of Christ Himself, the Son of God seems hard to understand, it is because they are precisely that – hard to understand for himself is the greatest mystery revealed’-The revelation which Christ came down to earth to bring cannot be reduced to a series of easily explained platitudes. There are real problems in understanding, because the Person Who is speaking is the unique Son of God. ‘The Word Incarnate’.There never was, and never will be, any convenient equality between His Mind and ours. He is infinite wisdom, knowledge unlimited, power unbounded. We are none of that.
3. There are many times when His words baffle us. On one occasion He said “The Father and I are one”. On another occasion He said “The Father is greater than I”. Problem? Yes it seems! Fortunately, He also provided the solution for such problems. He ensured that we, His disciples, would never need to rely only on our own unaided efforts to interpret His words correctly. He sent the Holy Spirit, to lead us into all truth. The Holy Spirit is the soul of His Mystical Body on earth, the Catholic Church. Just as that Divine soul guided the writing down of the gospels, the same Holy Spirit ensures that the Church will never lose or misread the Saviour’s Mind. The Spirit-directed Church, the Bride of the Lord, will never misinterpret the Bridegroom’s sacred words. Their true meaning remains for all time. The interpretation is true and sure.
4. In today’s gospel, Our Lord teaches us that His demands on us are always greater, more far-reaching than any blood-ties or relationship could produce. He teaches us that if there were ever any conflict between membership of our own human family and our incorporation into Christ, then, hard though it might seem, our human family must always take second place. Hard? No. Not hard at all. Difficult?Yes Possible? Of course it is possible because it is just true by his grace. The trouble is, nowadays, in comparatively recent times, we have somehow got the impression that family life is the greatest blessing on earth. Undoubtedly, it can be a great blessing that is for sure. A source of moral and spiritual stability. The context in which children should first learn to love and worship God. The place where spouses should help each other to grow in holiness. All this is true, or can be. Alas, it is not always so, and there are many well-meaning but thoughtless Catholics who marry in haste, and repent at leisure. Family life is a wonderful way to live, a true and holy vocation. “Domus ecclesiae” -the domestic church.
5. It is not the only way to live, not the only vocation. In His blunt use of expression , Our Lord reveals and encapsulates an unchanging truth that we dare not ignore or water-down: as disciples of the Son of God, He is our sovereign Lord and Master. He takes priority. He comes first. His claims are absolute. They are fortunate indeed and perhaps rare, whose family life never involves any conflict with their calling as disciples. The gospel like devastating body blows are tough, uncompromising, and true. The Cross is non-negotiable. As Catholics, whether married or single, clerical or lay, we all have the same over-riding, over-arching priority. Jesus is Lord. Jesus Christ comes first. He will not take second place that is the fundamental option . “I have no use for divided hearts” He says. “I give Mine whole, and not in parts.”

FR. Joeseph