Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
In our CGS sessions the students often choose to sing the song, Christ is light. The song is sung to a simple tune and goes like this - “Christ is light, in him there is no darkness. Come to Him and He will give you light.” This simple song comes to mind when I read today’s readings.
In our first reading we hear that we are to do all things without grumbling or complaint. Because we are human, this is difficult for us – but thankfully we are not walking this road alone. When we look to Christ for help, guidance, truth, it is easier to keep those grumblings at bay. When we remember the source of our light, it is easier to keep the dark feelings away.
I find today’s Gospel especially challenging – no one can follow Christ unless they hate their family and all earthly possessions. Why would I need to hate them? But I don’t think Jesus is telling us that we must hate them, but rather that we must have a healthy detachment from them. When my sister first joined the Dominican sisters, she was not allowed to write to us or talk to us for a short period of time. I did not understand this for a long time – I was angry and grumbled about this rule! But with age and maturity I came to see that this practice is meant to allow her time to focus on Christ and not the pressures, opinions or demands of family members. Following Christ sincerely requires full commitment and before committing to something it’s important to know what that looks like and what it could mean giving up. I pray that we may each pray about where God is calling us and help us to understand what this fully entails. Amen.
—AJ Grimm