Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Ugh. This time of year makes me want to turn off all forms of media. If I hear or see one more mean spirited campaign ad I might toss the television. Election season is truly one of my least favorite times. While walking today I just asked a person standing at my side, if they had voted. The answer that came back at me, for this educated man, essentially stated there was nothing and no one to vote for. I was kind of left dumbfounded; especially ask we walked under a sign that said support the human services levy. All this I could think of after that was the four billion dollars that was spent on naming calling and character assignation. Instead of sowing truth most of these ads sowed fear. The world will end if…. Still tell us the truth lies instead of promoting fear.
Paul’s letter to the Philippians challenges us to look beyond the fear to the God who saves us. Paul’s challenge is that we should work out our faith in ‘fear and trembling.’ Therefore fear is not necessarily a bad emotion. Certainly it can motivate us to do something, or it might alert us that there is danger. Still what does Paul’s statement mean? Let’s look to the Gospel and the responsorial psalm for an answer.
Jesus makes demand a strong demand of those who wish to be a fully committed disciple: “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children…he cannot be my disciple.” This stunning statement draws our attention directly to the word “hates”. Jesus uses this word to get people’s attention. Yet, if we look at this verse more deeply, the power of the first part “comes to me” draws this whole reading into clarity. As disciples, we are not being called to hate our family or our neighbor who perhaps voted differently than us. We are in fact, called to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. Consequently, we must let nothing get between ourselves and Christ.
With confident voices let our prayer echo that of the psalm today. “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” Only with complete commitment to our relationship with the Lord, can we have a proper foundation that is Christ. Perhaps today we can reflect on what are the things that between us a our relationship with Christ. What change could we make so that our lives would be more Christ centered?
“Almighty God, You made us for Yourself, help us give ourselves completely to Your service, so that our restless hearts will find rest in You alone. Amen!
-Michael Montgomery