Homily for Wednesday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time

Many people struggle with today's Gospel passage, particularly the part about needing to "hate" family members. This concept can feel uncomfortable on a personal level, and it seems to contradict what Jesus and the Scriptures, including the Ten Commandments, say about honoring our parents. So, what is Jesus really trying to convey?

Jesus is not speaking about "hate" in the way we commonly understand it. Instead, He emphasizes that we must love Him and our heavenly Father even more than we love our parents or family members. He is teaching us that when we face a choice between following Him or our family, we must always prioritize Him, even if it creates tension.

While Jesus' expression of this can sound harsh, He often used strong language to capture the attention of His listeners. He aimed to highlight that, at times, following Him can be challenging and, in rare instances, may even put us at odds with those we love the most. We must be prepared to choose Him over family when necessary.

Let us pray for unwavering faith and trust in Jesus, even when following Him requires us to bear difficult crosses and burdens.