Sunday Gospel Comment
Alberic Jacovone OSB
YEAR C TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - 5.9.04 Wis 9,13-18; Philemon 9-10.12-17; Lk 14,25-33 Dealing with our “hatred” Those
we love most, we hate most? Today, a tough message from Luke’s Gospel is set before us. We ask:
what was going on in Luke’s community, for him to apply such strong ‘words
of Jesus’? what appalling issues was he confronting? Naturally, we tend to
tone down the words of Jesus; treating them as clever exaggerations about greed.
But they are not. So we ask again: what is Luke trying to convey to his
community (& to us), when he talks about building a tower with insufficient
resources or marching against an enemy, who has twice as many fighters? More
important still: what is Jesus saying to us about ‘hating’ the very people
we love most? What do we do, when the people, who are closest to us, impose
their ‘shape up or ship out’? or ridicule us, or assert their power, greed
& arrogance? If this is the case, what options have we? Jesus says: stay
with the Lord, shun & move on. The message: First,
If it gets to this point, believe in love, make your decision in conscience
& live in peace. Discern wisely. Stay on the Lord’s side - support those
who are hurting & oppressed (anawim); & resist all arrogant, greedy,
ambitious power seekers. Then,
having chosen to be with the Lord, be strong, detached & quietly alert.
It’s uncanny when people who are closest to us, do all in their power to bring
us under their scheme. On our part, let’s accept any opposition as our cross
to bear. Indeed every day, know that the cross is bound to loom largely on our
life, as it did on Jesus’. Let’s follow the saints who opposed evil, but never fought people: for
them they prayed. Crosses
& Contradictions.
Today we are told never to take lightly our Christian life and never to underestimate the risks of both leadership and witnessing.
Luke illustrates this by two parables: if you start, either a huge project , as
may be the building of a large tower, or a risky project, as may be to confront
an opponent, with twice as many fighters as you have, make sure you weigh
carefully, costs & risks, weaknesses and strengths, and stay brutally aware
of your vulnerabilities and limitations. Then, pray and act and -come what may-
persevere. Believe in your best judgment & live through the tough
experience, especially when the ‘sward of division’ seems to destroy
everything: what you are, have and stand for. Stick to the Lord, be prepared and
own all consequences. When all is said and done, a committed Christian is one
who desires to seek God in earnest. This will require a resolve: to live on
God’s terms - to be deeply wise - to live as God would want us to - to walk on
the path of righteousness - to hunger & thirst for justice, as outlined in
the Gospels. Today we are asked to take up our cross, knowing that crosses are
not vague stressful situations, but can become strong conflicts with people, who
at times are nearest to us & we love most dearly. Jesus reminds us that as
we love people, we accept them as they are, in the midst of uncertainties,
feeling inadequate & in need of wisdom & grace. All cultures recognize that the people we love most, we hurt most: we
all reflect with sadness that between bridegroom & bride - husband &
wife - father & mother - children & parents, at one time or other, one
becomes the biggest cross for the other. We even tell the joke of the couple
who, all their life were at each other’s throat. When one of the two died,
even the closest friends could not understand why, the other partner was putting
such a hypocritical act, by expressing enormous upset, hysterical cries &
tears. Then a friend asked: why this farce? you never loved each other! And the
answer was: can’t you see? we are doomed to be together like this for all
eternity. Pray for peace among you. ______________________________________ |
