July 2
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.”
Readings
Reflection
Today’s Gospel can sound harsh if not interpreted correctly. It begins with Christ addressing the apostles. Jesus states “Whoever loves father or mother, son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me...” Of course, what Christ is saying is that the apostles (and our) focus must be on Christ, not on those around us, no matter who those people are.
We cannot be fully devoted to Christ and to another equally. The apostles, like us, must be focused on Christ and carrying forth his work in the world because Christ claims us for his own during our baptism. Imagine how difficult the decision was for the apostles of Christ. They, once called, had to choose to leave family and friends, community and employment, their entire lifestyle had to change in order to meet the demands of carrying forth the message of Christ.
We too are asked to choose Christ over all people and situations. This does not mean we turn our back in hatred towards our loved ones, or others that might stand in the way of our total devotion to Christ, we must keep them close to us while maintaining Christ as the center of our lives service and devotion.
Although this may seem difficult, through keeping Christ central in our life, we truly serve those we love and encourage them to do the same.
Peace,
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