Sept. 8, 2019: 23rd Sunday C

Sept. 8, 2019 23rd Sunday C

To be a Christian disciple is to have a total commitment to the will of God, putting God first in our lives. What does it mean to put God first in our lives? I share with you a true story of a person who did not put God first in his life. A priest requested help from a couple of parishioners to help him move from one parish to the next. They were in two cars; the priest driving his car and parishioners trailing him in another. On the way, the priest who was driving his car was pulled over by the police for speeding. Not only did the officer give the priest a ticket, but the parishioner in the car following the priest also got a ticket. The priest flashed his Roman collar, hoping to be let off of the penalty. The officer told him and the parishioner to come to court on September 8, and he will see about “helping” them out. The priest thought to himself,  September 8th is the feast of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary so perhaps Blessed Mother is going to intercede and let him off the speeding ticket. It just doesn’t sound right, does it, when a priest is trying to use his privilege to evade a penalty that any other would have to pay? 

A disciple of Jesus needs to always discern with the help of the Holy Spirit whether he is making a decision for the glory of God or for selfish gain. I wonder what Jesus would say about a self-serving disciple? In fact, Jesus shocked the crowd that was following him when he said that unless we hate our parents, spouse, children, and even our own lives, we cannot be his disciples. It sounds so harsh! The crowd must have been shocked too, to hear such an extreme requirement to be a disciple. Jesus wanted commitment from his would-be disciples, and that commitment would be costly. When Jesus said “hate,” he was not speaking about emotional revulsion and physical distance. Jesus was speaking about the ability to put God first before relationships or self-interest. He was not speaking about a half-hearted commitment such as when we only help the underserved in our community when it is convenient to us, or a priest who ignored civil law and looked for a way out of the consequences.

We need to reflect from time to time what are the motivations underlying our daily activities. Have I lived this day for myself or for God? Have I sought Him or have I tried to make compromises so that I can benefit at the cost of others. A true Christian disciple needs to renounce both earthly possessions and self-love. This often means daily sacrificial service done for others even when it costs us our reputations. 

One day,  Mother Teresa went to a local bakery asking for bread for the starving children at the orphanage. The baker, disgusted by beggars and enraged by her request, spat in her face. Mother Teresa calmly took out her handkerchief, wiped the spit from her face and said, “Okay, that was for me. Now, what about the bread for the orphans?” The baker, stunned and ashamed by her response, gave her the bread she wanted. How would we have responded to the baker? How have we responded in the past when someone insulted us? Mother Teresa, detached from self-love, was able to forgive and redeem the baker. Can we strive to detach ourselves from self-love and be willing to forgive and redeem? 

Going back to the priest with the speeding ticket: if you haven’t guessed it, I am that priest. On the court date, I showed up in  my clerics with roman collar before the judge, trusting that the officer who wrote the ticket would be there to get me off. As I saw the court proceedings, it occurred to me that this was what my judgment day was going to be like. My failure to abide by the civil law reflected my failure to abide by God’s laws. Before Jesus as the Just Judge, how would I explain to Jesus that I tried to save money by flashing my clerical collar? It turned out to be the most expensive speeding ticket I’ve ever paid, $650!

Our love for God compels us to choose who or what will be first in our lives. Jesus challenges each of us to examine who or what we love first and foremost. It’s how we make choices over the little things in our lives—how we treat people, our attitudes toward others—that often shape our big decisions. The choice is ours - whom will we serve and follow? Only the path of Our Lord will lead us to true joy and happiness with our Heavenly Father.