The author of today’s first reading wrote “for the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns” (see Wisdom 9:15). In today’s Gospel, Jesus warned his disciples that “those who came to him without hating their fathers and mothers, wives or husbands and children, brothers and sisters, and even their own lives, were not able to be his disciple” and “those who did not renounce all of their possessions were not able to be his disciples” (cf. Luke 14:26).
As living, breathing human beings, who live day to day in this world, with all of the ordinary and even necessary burdens we must carry, how are we supposed to understand these words of wisdom in our own time? Are we called to reject our families, our possessions, and even the needs of our mortal bodies in order to spend all of our days and energy focused on only things of heaven? It’s likely that many mystics, contemplative religious people, monks, and nuns in the history of the church attempted to do just such in their responses to these scriptural mandates. Even today, there are some who strive to do the same. But is this required of all the rest of us as well? Certainly not!
It’s definitely laudable for a chosen few to have embraced austere lives completely focused on heaven and detached from all worldly concerns. But this was and is certainly not the reality for everyone else – that is, the ninety-nine point-nine percent of the rest of the Christian population throughout all of history and in our own time. So what did Jesus mean when he taught his disciples “to hate their fathers and mothers, wives, husbands and children, brothers and sisters, and even their own lives?” After-all, this mandate seems extremely harsh to say the least!
When we contemplate the teachings of Jesus, it’s always important to recall that he frequently used a popular teaching method, common during those days, which used hyperbole or exaggeration in order to drive home a specific point. Therefore, those who heard Jesus’ words would have understood they were not actually required to hate their family members, and/or their very selves, in order to be his followers. Instead, they surely would have understood that care for others, attention to one’s bodily needs, and prudent stewardship over one’s material possessions, were certainly necessary. But it would have also been clearly understood that these concerns were always and actually “secondary” to the more important heavenly and spiritual realities. And our own understanding of these teachings must be the same.
The Book of Wisdom reminds us that “the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns,” but it doesn’t suggest we need not take care of our bodies or reject the material things we must have in order to survive. I don’t believe Jesus would have suggested otherwise.
As spiritual people who long for the day we meet God face-to-face, let’s not then neglect our many earthly responsibilities! And so, are family and relational issues, the realities of health concerns, financial difficulties, job related challenges, and etcetera dragging us down? Jesus tells us, and all of those who truly wish to be his “disciples,” not to become so burdened by these things that they distract us from higher realities. Instead, he promises to “have our backs” when dealing with all of these ordinary and even necessary aspects of our lives!
Let us encourage each other with this promising message of our faith!
Praise God! Friar Timothy
Find me on Facebook by clicking on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/frayteo
No comments:
Post a Comment