Lk 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."
Christianity is NOT FOR THE WEAK. We know that Jesus IS Love - " honor thy father and mother" Ex 20-12. So is this is contradiction : "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" ?
NEVER GOD is NEVER a contradiction. GOD is TRUTH. So, we must look deeper. We must Hate the SIN being lived by father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters and ourselves.
True Love means Charity. Charity - "the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God". CCC 1822. "Love the sinner, hate the sin." St. Augustine. "Let those who love the Lord hate evil" Ps 97:10
We are not truly loving father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters and ourselves, if we do not correct sin. When we are choosing to not offend another, we are choosing ourselves over our loved ones.
It is often difficult to counsel against sin. We run the danger of alienating another. There is only one question. Which is more important, our temporary discomfort or their (and our) eternal soul?
This is not an easy teaching, but it is TRUTH: "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."
Sometimes we have to Love someone enough to let them Hate us; this may be Our Cross. The wrath of GOD is real, and we are betraying our loved one when we candy coat their sin; when we make excuses; when we choose the easy way. We must Love enough to Hate sin! Eternity ETERNITY WITH GOD
Comments