Put Jesus Ahead Of Everyone

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, St. Paul, MN

Sunday, June 28, 2020

Jesus grew up in obscurity. We know almost nothing about his first 30 years. It is believed he was trained as a carpenter. He was not a member of any rabbinic school. He was not a scribe or a Pharisee or a temple priest. He was basically a layman. But in 30 AD, he emerged at the scene in a most extraordinary way. In the hills of Galilee, he began to preach with unprecedented and alarming boldness. He claimed personal authority over the Torah itself which was the divine law considered by every faithful Jew as the court of final appeal. He also performed great miracles of healing and demonstrated a mastery over the forces of nature. Consequently, multitude of people came to him from all sides. While some came to be healed by him and to receive all manners of favor from him, others came to listen to the uncommon wisdom that emanated from his mouth. But there were those who came to him just to find ways to pull him down. Regardless of their motives for coming to Jesus, most of them did wonder just who this man was. 

One of the problems facing us today is the domestication of Jesus. People see him as a nice and gentle figure. They claim they understand his moral teaching, that he is like many other great religious figures. That he echoes what other religious figures had said.  The moment that happens, everything else false apart. And after that, they simply forget about him. Jesus was in his own lifetime and after the resurrection a deeply unsettling figure. He was a disruptive figure. In today’s Gospel (Matt. 10:37-42), we see one of the many classic examples of the unsettling and disruptive nature of Jesus. While speaking to his apostles, he said, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Other religious figures would say, “Unless you love God more than your very life…” But for Jesus, he says, “Unless you love me more than the highest good in life.” Those declarations can only be made by someone who is God and not a mere religious figure or philosopher. And throughout his entire ministry on earth, Jesus speaks and acts like God. He compels a choice in a way that no other religious founder does. He says, “It is either you are with me or against me.” Jesus is Lord. He is God. So, we have to give up our whole life for him. He must be the center of our lives. 

But what does whoever loves father or mother or son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me means? Jesus is speaking to those who may face a choice between being his disciples and clinging to family ties. He is speaking emphatically that they must put him first ahead of everyone else if they wish to be his disciples. Honoring one’s father and mother is commanded by the Torah, a command that Jesus himself upholds. Loving one’s neighbor which of course includes sisters, brothers, sons, daughters etc is also commanded by the Torah. Again, Jesus upholds it too and even broadens its meaning. But in this case, Jesus, the Lord of life, the giver of our parents, children, friends etc wants to be the principal neighbor we must love above all others.  He wants his disciples to love their parents, children, friends, everyone but we are to love him even more. If he commands us to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44), he certainly expects us to have a greater love for him. Being his disciples does not mean loving others less; it rather means loving others more and loving Jesus most of all. No friendship or relationship or attachment should be greater or deeper than our love for the Lord. Relationship with Jesus is far more important than any other relationship. Anyone who thinks otherwise, Jesus says is not worthy of him, meaning that the person does not deserve to be his disciple.