The good thing about having a lectionary is that we get to hear those difficult, challenging Bible passages that hardly any one would choose if we were able to pick the Bible readings for the masses each day. This is quite a confounding Gospel reading we hear today. Why would we hate our mother and our father? Why would Jesus ask us to do that? Family is important to us in our modern world, but it was even more so in Ancient Israel. The family unit and the extended family defined the person in a very real way in Jesus’ day. The family unit was central to a person’s identity. And I think of how all of us are influenced by our family of origin. As most of you know, I am a huge Chicago Cubs baseball fan. Having come from a family from the Northside of Chicago, I jokingly say that being a Cubs fan is from my DNA, which is actually partially true. I think what Jesus is telling us today in such bold, raw, direct language, is that we need to give up those things that pull us away from the Kingdom of God. No matter if is our family or certain habits we have or other influences in our life that take us away from our journey of faith and keep of from growing in our faith, then those things are hinderances in our lives and we must leave them beyond. Yes, for all of us, certain things in our upbringing can take us away from God. In terms that Ignatius of Loyola would us, we have consolations and desolations: things that lift us up on our journey of faith and other things that bring us down. It would be good for us to think of those things, to think of what we need to give up in order to be closer to God and his Kingdom.
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