First Reading • Wisdom 9:13-18b
Psalm • Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17
Second Reading • Philemon 9-10, 12-17
Gospel • Luke 14:25-33
The words of Jesus in today’s Gospel are among the most challenging we will ever hear: “whoever comes to me and does not hate their father and mother, spouse and children, brothers and sisters, and yes even their life itself, cannot be my disciple.”
At first, these words sound harsh. Why would Jesus, who so often spoke of love, tell us this?
Is He against family? No – what He is really saying is that if we want to follow Him, He must come first. Our love for Him must be greater than any other love, even the love we have for our family.
Let me share with you the story of St. Thomas Aquinas. He was born into a noble family in Italy. His parents had great plans for him.
They wanted him to join the Benedictines at Monte Cassino, where his uncle was abbot. Their dream was that Thomas would one day become abbot himself, bringing honor and prestige to the family.
But Thomas felt God calling him in a different direction. He wanted to join the Dominicans, a new and humble order of preachers.
His family was outraged. On his way to Rome, his brothers kidnapped him and locked him in the family castle for nearly a year. They tried everything to make him change his mind. But Thomas remained steadfast.
Eventually his family gave up and let him go. And we know the rest: Thomas went on to become one of the greatest saints and teachers the Church has ever known.
His story captures the very heart of today’s Gospel. Thomas loved his family, but he loved God even more.
When family expectations clashed with God’s call, he chose God first. And because he did, his life bore fruit that still nourishes the Church today.
Jesus is not telling us to despise our families. Quite the opposite – He is teaching us the right order of love. Family is one of God’s greatest gifts. Husbands and wives are called to mirror the faithful, sacrificial love of Christ and His Church.
Children are entrusted to their parents’ care, to be raised in love and in faith. But family relationships are strongest when they are rooted in Christ.
Think of a family as a triangle: God at the top, husband and wife at the bottom corners. The closer both husband and wife draw to God, the closer they come to each other.
Their love then flows outward to their children, who learn that true love is patient, forgiving, and enduring.
This is also where today’s Gospel about “building a tower” speaks to family life (Luke 14:28–30). A husband and wife, before and throughout marriage, must “count the cost.”
They need to sort out difficulties, face problems together, and commit themselves to a lifelong relationship. If they do not, the foundation may weaken, and the “tower” of family life can fall. And others ridicule. But when they plan with faith, patience, and love, the family grows strong and endures.
Without God at the center, family life can easily be weakened by selfishness, pride, or division. With God first, love grows stronger and more faithful.
Jesus also says today that whoever does not “renounce all his possessions” cannot be His disciple.
That does not mean abandoning our homes or neglecting our responsibilities. It means letting go of whatever holds us back from putting God first – whether it be possessions, ambitions, or even the pressures and expectations of those closest to us.
And yes, this is costly. Many of us know how difficult it can be to live our faith within our families. Sometimes we face criticism or misunderstanding.
Sometimes we are pressured to go along with values or choices that contradict the Gospel. Saying “no” in such moments is painful, but it is not about judging others.
It is about loving them enough to hold fast to the truth, and trusting that God will, in His time, open their eyes and hearts.
Brothers and sisters, discipleship is never cheap. It requires sacrifice, and sometimes even conflict.
But the reward is immeasurable. When we put Christ first, our love for our families does not shrink – it deepens.
Our marriages become stronger, our homes become places of peace, and our children learn what it means to love in the way Christ loves.
And beyond our earthly families, we gain an even greater family: /The Church, and the household of God in heaven.
So today, may we have the grace to put Christ above all else, trusting that when God comes first, everything else in our lives – including our families – finds its proper place.
