Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.
Today's Gospel: Luke 14:25-33
I used to struggle with this passage. I have to hate my family? My husband? My child? The people I love the most? The thought is abhorrent—just like the thought of God asking me to sacrifice my child, like he did Abraham.
But, the Holy Spirit (and a good homily or two) has helped me understand that of course Jesus wants us to love our family. But, he wants us to love them rightly. We cannot make an idol of our family. We cannot replace our love of the Lord with our love for our husband or our children. We cannot look to others to fulfill us. Only God can do that. God didn’t want Abraham to kill Isaac. He wanted him to understand that obedience to God was his first responsibility, even before caring for his son.
What does this look like practically? It means prioritizing Mass on Sunday before family time. It means letting go of our own aspirations and dreams for our family and discerning what God’s are, instead. It means laying the foundation of our family life on our faith.
Families are good things. My husband and my child are gifts from God. He entrusts them to me to love. But, I can only love them the way He wants me to if I love God first. With Him as my foundation, the rest will fall into place.
Ponder:
Who comes first: God or my family?
Pray:
God, please help me to love You and my family wisely and well.
Copyright 2023 Taryn DeLong
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