Understanding Jesus' words

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In today's gospel Jesus says that to follow him we must hate our father and mother, wife and family members (Luke 14:26). But we should not take those words literally. The Middle Eastern way of speaking often used exaggerations to make the point. We remember how Moses received the commandment. ''Honour your father and your mother.'' (Exodus 20:12). So, what Jesus is saying is that no human love can compare with the love that we are called to have for him who loved us first. Sometimes, however, following Jesus can mean actually leaving one's family. When Jesus called James and John, Matthew tells us that immediately they left their boat and the father and followed him.

 

When people ask overseas missionaries if they miss their homeland and their families, their answer is ''Yes, but now I have so many new families because of your welcome and friendship. This is my new home.'' That is what Jesus meant when he was told that his mother and brothers and sisters were outside waiting to see him. He replied looking at those who were around him, ''Here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.''(Mark 3:34-35). We will never lose our love for our biological family, in fact, the more we have the love of Jesus in our hearts, the more we will appreciate what our families mean to us. But in Jesus we have gained a new spiritual family. If we are truly united with them in our common love of Jesus, we will put into practice what Paul says in the first reading, ''You will shine in the world like bright stars because you are offering it the word of life.'' (Philippians 2:15)