Love and Let Go

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110817.cfm) reminds me that I should learn how to love and let go. 

The readings today seem to contradict each other. The first reading tells us that we should love one another and that All the commandments is summed up into one – to love your neighbor as yourself. It says that love is the fulfillment of the law. The psalmist further affirms this as he declares that blessed is the man who is gracious and lends to those in need. Basically, this is loving others. However, the gospel seem to contradict this at first glance. Jesus seemed like he was saying that we should hate other people to be his disciple. What’s up?

God wants us to love others, as long as that love does not take His place in our lives.

Jesus statements that we should hate others to be his disciples should not be taken literally. Jesus is the prince of peace, so there’s no way he is advocating hate. What he wants to tell us is that nothing should take God’s place in our lives. This is true especially for us Filipinos who put great value in family relationships. Love and service to our loved ones, especially to our family, should not take greater importance than love and service to God. 

Sometimes, we can only truly love when we let go. 

We are reminded of the cost of being God’s disciple. We need not necessarily hate others, it’s just that we should put God in the proper place. God should be God in our lives. This is what it takes to be a real disciple. That is what it takes to love God. We should let go of others not of God. We should give greater importance and priority to God. Yes, we should love and serve others, but we should do so with God’s love, with God’s eyes, with God’s arms – and not our own.

May we remember that loving God means letting go of everything that takes his place in our lives.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I fail to do this – I fail to love others. Sorry for the times I am too focused on myself, my wants and desires, and I ignore others. Also, I am sorry for the times I love and serve others not for you, but for myself – for my fulfillment, for my recognition, for my affirmation. Help me love others the way I should. Help me let go of everything that is not of you, of everything taking your place in my life. Help me love others as you do. May I pass on your love to others. may I love others because I see you in them. Help me always be aware that no one and nothing should come before you in my life. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2016/09/decided.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2017/09/loving-others.html

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November 8, 2017
Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 487

Reading 1ROM 13:8-10

Brothers and sisters:
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, You shall not commit adultery;
you shall not kill;
you shall not steal;
you shall not covet,
and whatever other commandment there may be,
are summed up in this saying, namely,
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Love does no evil to the neighbor;
hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Responsorial PsalmPS 112:1B-2, 4-5, 9

R. ( 5a) Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He dawns through the darkness, a light for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia1 PT 4:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,
for the Spirit of God rests upon you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 14:25-33

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
"If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, 
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion? 
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.' 
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? 
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. 
In the same way,
everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple."