Inbox Inspiration: June 28, 2020: 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time

13 ^th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A 

Sometimes Jesus exaggerates.
Like the time he tells us to pluck out our eye if it is a source of sin.
He exaggerates to make a point – the point: avoiding sin must be a high priority.
So, here today, Jesus says that if we love family more than we love him, we are not worthy of him.
Now, give me a break!
This is the same Jesus who says that he came to fulfill and not to do away with any of the commandments.
That includes the fourth commandment about honoring our father and mother.
So, I have to assume that Jesus is not telling us today to disregard our families or that he and his way are opposed to our being devoted to our loved ones.
That can’t be it.
What then is it?
He’s telling us to stick to his way and his teachings and his values, even if those persons closest to us are not doing that.
I remember once many years ago at a gathering of my family, someone was using the “N” word.
I said nothing; maybe I even went along with it in a non-verbal sort of way.
Sometime after that, I was talking with a black woman whom I knew rather well.
We were talking about racism, and I shared with her this experience in my own family.
She made no comment about my family.
She just asked me, “Father, what did you say?”
When I told her that I said nothing, she graciously but firmly told me that I needed to speak up in those situations and at least say that I was uncomfortable with that way of speaking about blacks.
Well, I think that’s the kind of thing Jesus means today when he tells us to make him first – even ahead of family at times.
  
Father Michael Schleupner

In addition to the usual Wednesday edition of Inbox Inspirations, I am continuing at least for now these Special Inbox Inspirations on Sundays. I began these when the coronavirus pandemic began.