FAITHFUL DISCIPLES

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

In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus presents the demands of discipleship. 

The road to salvation in Jesus Christ is not an easy one. We must enter through the narrow gate: “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life” (Mt 7:14). In everything, Jesus must take the first place. Forced to choose, we must always side with Jesus. He deserves and demands greater love than our parents. It does not mean that we should ignore, despise or hate our parents. The commandment still stands: “Honour your father and your mother” (Ex 20:12). However, not even our parents can take the place of God, and if they become an impediment to obeying God’s commandments and to follow Jesus Christ, then we must choose to walk on Jesus’ way. Our love for Christ has to be greater than our love for our parents or any human being. There is no greatest love than the one bestowed on us by Jesus, who gave his life for us. And that love demands a response of love. The responsorial psalm expresses this recognition of God’s love:

“I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;

  through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.

Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,

  that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.” (Ps 89).

The acceptance of the cross - that is of suffering and death - is part of the discipleship of Jesus. Following Jesus, we may face rejection and even persecution and death. It does not mean that we should be masochists. Pain is always painful, and cannot be a source of happiness. Jesus faced his passion in anguish, but he remained faithful and did not run away from his mission, despite the deadly consequences. At any time in life, we may have to make decisions which will have terrible consequences for us. Then, out of fear, we may avoid the consequences by ignoring our principles, avoiding our duty, forgetting our responsibilities and even trampling on the love that should fill our hearts. However, if we decide to remain faithful at all costs, then we must be ready to carry the cross, thus following Jesus’ footsteps.

We are very much afraid of death because we consider life as our greatest asset and we do everything in our power to keep and extend it. However, Jesus tells us that are things worthy of dying for, and those are the things which give meaning to life. So, it is better to lose life than to turn our backs on what gives meaning to life. Jesus says it clearly:

“Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.”

We must be ready to lose our lives, being sure that we will find them in Christ. Jesus did that and countless people have done the same throughout the centuries. During this pandemic, in many countries of the world, a great number of doctors and nurses have risked their lives, trying to save the lives of others.

Jesus reminds us of being one with him, in such a way that we welcome him whenever we welcome his disciples. We listen to Jesus whenever we listen to the voice of the Church.

Finally, we are reminded that when we do even the least we can do to the littles ones, the Lord will reward us. We are invited to be generous and kind to those who come to us or whom we meet in our daily lives and are in need. A little gesture may go a long way to lessen their sufferings and their pain.

May the Lord help us to become true disciples.