Ur Sunday Dose: Want to Follow Him?

September 05, 2010
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lk 14,25-33

WANT TO FOLLOW HIM?

When we love somebody, we do everything for him/her to be pleased. We try our best not to cheat at the back of our lover. Parents are against the love we have for each other, yet we fight for it. However, we are hurt to the bones when we hear the news that our bf/gf has another love, and he/she loves him/her more than he/she does for us. It is the point of death for the relationship, as the two ex-lovers tend to break up. He/she is not honest.

Likewise, when we tend to follow Christ in anyway possible, we tend to follow his commandments and stay away from doing bad and from its source: the world and all its riches. People are scandalized when we become an active church org member, only to fill ourselves with the monthly butaw. It goes the same way when we hear of a priest marrying a woman, or living with his family at the Parish Convent. It is like the priest is way out of his head.

We see, living a holy life means giving up everything for God. If we love God, we are ready to leave whatever we have to follow his footsteps, becoming a servant of all.

This is clearly pointed out in Christ's words in this Sunday's Gospel Proclamation: If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

We know of God as a loving, yet jealous God. He loves us alright, that's why He sent Jesus for us to be saved from doom. Yet, he desires that everyone who follows His path of Holiness should neglect everything that has nothing to do with being holy. He wants every desire to be for him alone, and not shared with everything of this world.

As Jesus said somewhere in the Gospel, You cannot serve two masters... you should not love God and Mammon. It is the contrary which we do nowadays. We go to church on Sunday to praise God, and spend the Monday-Saturday to work for our worldly desires. Very ironic, noh? We are very much out of the line. If we go to church on Sunday, likewise we should live what we've heard inside the church from Monday to Saturday.

And so, would you want to follow Him?

Following Christ is hearing His words and doing its demands: Loving God above all and Loving our Neighbor like we do ourselves. And this requires our total focus and desires. It is Above all priorities and wants.

Following Christ is Ora et Labora. Not always praying, not always working. It is a jive of prayer and work for God's glory.

Following Christ is leaving everything behind. I mean, everything. It is hard, right, that's why He said Many are called, and yet few are chosen. Only those who persevere at the end are truly worthy of being Christ's follower.

Following Christ is being happy despite the tragedies. St. Francis said, "...Above all the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit which Christ gives to His friends is that of conquering oneself and willingly enduring sufferings, insults, humiliations, and hardships for the love of Christ. For we cannot glory in all those other marvelous gifts of God, as they are not ours but God's..." In short, if we are facing a lot of hardships, and yet we are able to face it knowing that Christ is there with Him, then we are following the right path. We are following Christ.

Following Christ means following him through it all. It may hurt much, yet we know that at the end of the day, we are happy, consoled and full of happiness.

KuyaZeke,ccs_090310