Brothers and Sisters,
The first words we hear from Jesus in this Sunday’s Gospel reading (Luke 14:25-33) might shock us or at least make us scratch our head. Why does Jesus say we must “hate” our loved ones and even ourselves? The strong language used by the Lord originates from His setting and times, what we would now call a Semitic worldview, where very strong language was used to convey a teaching clearly. So, without a doubt, we can say the term “hate,” as we normally understand the word, is not to be taken literally here. It is a Hebrew idiom or form of speech which was used to express preference or allegiance. The expression “to hate” often meant to “prefer less.” So, what is the underlying message Jesus wants to convey?
Jesus turns to the crowds and speaks to them about discipleship. Jesus explains that, when it comes to making a choice for the Kingdom of God and following Him, nothing can get in the way, even those closest to us. He was saying “don’t prefer them to me.” Jesus is telling us not to prefer anything over being a disciple of His, not to take anything more seriously than going to God and making Him the center of your life. When Jesus describes “hating” one’s father and mother, He is not talking about feelings. Rather, He is emphasizing very strongly that choosing to be a disciple means that everything else—family, money, your own life—must come second. “Hate” in this context is not a call to develop an intense dislike for family members, but is rather a call to love them less than Christ. Jesus wanted to make clear the critical point that for those who wish to follow Him, that nothing and no one other than God should take priority or first place in our heart. That place is reserved for God alone. What is first in our heart?
God Bless,
Deacon Howard
