THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS WE MUST MAKE

XIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Matthew 10:37-42

Jesus used to spend special time with the group of twelve Apostles, preparing and instructing them for their future mission. In doing that, he was always straightforward, always telling them the truth, never hiding or soothing the difficulties.

In order to be true disciples of Jesus, we must make him our number one. Nobody else can take the first place in our lives. Our family - be it father or mother, husband or wife, son or daughter - comes in second place.They are not ignored or excluded. We remain with the duty to respect and to care for them, but they cannot establish the rule by which we guide our lives. Nowadays, there are many Christians who are confronted with this situation and they have to choose between family and Jesus Christ. In societies which are overwhelmingly Muslims, the one who decides for Christ knows that he will become an outcast, being rejected by his own family, who may threaten to kill him. In spite of that, many people, after experiencing the love of Christ, are ready to go through that. 

Being disciples of Jesus, we must be ready to carry the cross. Soon or late, everybody will find the cross. Suffering goes always side by side with life, in spite of all our efforts to overcome it and to lead pleasant lives. Walking in the footsteps of Jesus, the true disciple knows how to transform suffering into a source of growth and maturity, so that it becomes a source of life. If we reject the cross, we are not worthy of being disciples of Jesus. This does not mean to look for suffering or to inflict suffering on ourselves, but to embrace the cross when it comes our way. “Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me.” (Mt 10:38). To find life, we must be ready to lose our life for the sake of Jesus Christ.

After these stern words, Jesus pronounced some reassuring ones: “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.” (Mt 10:40)

The first reading from 2 Kings 4:8-11,13-16 presents the example of a family welcoming the prophet Elisha and how that family was rewarded. Jesus speaks of a similar reward for all those who help his disciples, mainly in the proclamation of the Gospel. 

Let us pray for all those who encounter suffering because of their faith in Jesus Christ, so that they may find the strength to remain faithful and pray for all those who put themselves at the service of the Gospel, so that they may find joy and peace.