Still reeling from the tragedy of the brutal murder of two innocent kids and injuries to other school children and parents during a school Mass in the Annunciation Church/School, Minneapolis tragedy, many are still puzzled as to why a child raised in the Catholic faith would suddenly turn into an agent of Satan, unleashing anti-Catholic hatred and violence toward the faith, and especially against children gathered for Mass. The answer will vary; but may I suggest these: Lack of depth in the knowledge and practice of the faith, especially on the part of parents; religion divorced from relationship with Christ; decades of flawed catechesis; and alignment with the spirit of the world and Satan himself.
If we ask, on the contrary: What made the saints such extraordinary people of holiness? The answer is simple: They took seriously the words of Jesus in today’s gospel, becoming so powerfully gripped by Him that they understood that love for Jesus constituted rejection of self and all that we jealously guard about ourselves. Don’t we often do that for even human beings we love? We lose ourselves for them and give them our heart and most guarded secrets. Though our human lovers may fail us, Jesus’ love is solid and reassuring; hence, He wants no half-hearted response, no half measures, no testing of the waters by dipping one toe in, no following just part of time. It’s all or nothing, a total commitment. No matter how much we’d hope that it isn’t true, that is truly what discipleship means and what Jesus meant in today’s gospel. Call it the fine print of Christianity, if you wish.
What must you hate as a disciple of Christ? The one, the person, the object that would draw your attention away from Christ. And yes, it could be parents, relatives, and especially friends. Included are books, movies, websites, socio-political groups, anything you own or can own that might usurp the Christ-principle within you. We must turn our backs to them as we face Christ. Simply choosing Jesus is not enough, nor is it the end of the story. To say yes to Jesus implies saying yes to all He is, all He stands for, and all He wants from us and for us. For example, you cannot say yes to Jesus and no to His mother, His Church, His command to love in the manner in which He loves. During the persecutions, the early Christians understood that “yes” to Jesus was equivalent to signing a death warrant. The Christian was a persona non grata for the state. I have predicted in the past that such may become our fate in no distant time, with the drums of war and hatred beating ferociously from all sides against Christians.
Choosing Christ also meant for Philemon, whom Paul addressed in today’s second reading, taking back his runaway slave, Onesimus, no longer as a slave, rather as a brother in Christ. Paul reminded Philemon that the moment he chose Jesus, he also chose to be a person of mercy, forgiveness, gentleness, humility, and love. Above all, in Christ all persons are equal and no one is the slave or master of the other. We all belong to Christ as servants and slaves; hence, no one should put another down, belittle them, and in a sense, enslave them through chains of superiority. The import of the short letter to Philemon was that Onesimus, whose name means “useful” and who was believed to be the preserver of this letter, as the then Bishop of Ephesus, was no longer “useless” as a runaway slave, but “useful” through his encounter with Christ.
Finally, choosing Christ means renouncing self, giving up all possessions and embracing the cross. You can tell me, you didn’t plan for that. If you’ll start this project or war and wouldn’t want to advance and win, then be prepared for the taunting of the enemy and onlookers who would make a meal of your lack of energy in the fight. But if you’re disposed to be for Christ, that choice implies being in the frontline of the battle against the evil one and the forces of wickedness. Your banner must always read: “Sign me up, I am battle-ready.”
Fr. Chukwudi Jo Okonkwo