Breaking the Word

31^st Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 3^rd  November 2021 — Gospel: Lk 14,25-33

Daily Commitment in Discipleship

As deeply as one might love a parent or sibling, spouse or child, one must love Jesus even more. Jesus must hold the disciple’s allegiance over all else, including family. The call to “hate” family members and even one’s own life must be read literally but as a form of exaggeration. Perhaps what Jesus means by hating family is to refuse to live by narrow, and exclusive ideas of family, rather to expand to include neighbours far and near. Likewise, Jesus’ call to give up all of one’s possessions is exaggerated rhetoric, because material possessions can be a great hindrance to discipleship. Pursuing discipleship means being attached to Jesus, not to possessions. No earthly attachment, neither family nor possessions, can deter one’s pursuit of God’s kingdom. Jesus must be the focus, the passion, and the goal of all who seek him. Discipleship is a relationship with Jesus and a commitment to him. It means carrying the cross and following him. Simon of Cyrene was forced to bear the weight of Jesus’ cross on his back because he went behind Jesus (Lk 23,26). Following Jesus means suffering with him, bearing the pain of persecution, and sharing the fate of rejection by the world. Carrying the cross is a daily struggle and the commitment must be renewed every day when confronted with the temptation to lay it down (Lk 9,23-25).

All Souls’ Day, Tuesday – 02^nd November 2021 — Gospel:   Jn 6,37-40

To Live in Hope

The commemoration of the faithful departed reminds us that we are still one with those who have gone before us into eternal life. This gives us an opportunity to look at the mystery of death and the new life that Christ has won and promised for all of us who believe.  The question of where we go when we die is a question that has puzzled and continues to puzzle the minds of many. Death makes us realize that this life has to end and all of us no matter how strong we are, no matter how rich or poor have to die someday.  The passing over from life to death frightens us. The fear of death is the fear of an ultimate rejection – that we as persons will be rejected by life itself. But Christ has conquered death. Because He welcomes us into new life, death no longer has the power of ultimate rejection. Christ promises, “I will not reject anyone who comes to me.”

The readings of today do not focus on death at all rather they focus on life and life in abundance.  In writing to the Thessalonians Paul makes it clear that we cannot behave as a people who have no hope. Our hope is that all who have died in Christ are sure to rise with Him. In Jesus, death is seen only as transition from earthly life to eternal life. In that transition known as death, God’s love purifies us so that we can enjoy the fullness of the eternal life which Jesus has gained for us through His death and resurrection.  Jesus promises to raise up all those who believe in Him. It shall be on that last day, the great day of redemption. “We firmly believe, and hence we hope that, just as Christ is truly risen from the dead and lives forever, so after death the righteous will live forever with the risen Christ and he will raise them up on the last day” (CCC 989).