Cycle A - Year 1: 

2 July 2017:  Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Gospel:Please Read  Matthew 10:37-42

Making a choice......

The desecration of a Catholic Church and sacred images in Marawi City was abominable and revolting to peace-loving and decent people, even from other religions. For true religion promotes love and respect of other faiths.

But for Catholics, no threats of terrorism nor persecution can weaken our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

True Christians know that the cost of following Jesus is high. And today's Gospel

challenges us to make a firm commitment to the Lord. We find Jesus in the Gospel reading being extremely demanding with His disciples: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;" (Mt. 10:37)

In other words, our Lord Jesus was utterly honest in telling His disciples that it would cost them dearly to follow after Him. Because the demand of discipleship call for total commitment and unconditional trust in Jesus to follow in His footsteps and face life's difficulties with hope.

Even to our generation, discipleship is a real challenge. Because we live in a world of so much personal and collective sufferings, sometimes or oftentimes of our own making. Even the Church is not spared, as it suffers from dissension and division, even unfounded attacks for its teaching on the sanctity of life and its defense of the unborn. Are we willing to face the challenge?

But first we also ask: What does Christianity have to offer that it is worth giving up everything else, including family and self, to follow our Lord Jesus Christ?

Well, in truth more than we can even fathom. For Jesus offers His followers a priceless treasure, which is true happiness, peace, and joy unending with our everlasting Father in the heavenly kingdom.

But then it is our choice to accept Christ in our lives, and when we do so He must be given priority over other loves and commitments. Because losing everything else for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel, we will surely find eternal life.

As St. Paul writes to the Romans: "If we have died with Christ, we shall also live with him."

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!