We are invited today to reflect on the radical demands of the authentic Christian faith. We are challenged to make our “OWN” the values and priorities of Christ even when this entails sacrifice and detachment from all we hold dear. We are expected to love as Jesus does, that is, in an absolutely pure, selfless, and generous way that seeks the real good of the beloved and excludes no one. It is not easy to love in this manner. That is why to love “the Jesus way” requires plenty of moral strength and a long apprenticeship, but this is the only way to be a real disciple of the Lord for it is only through such a strong love that the Kingdom of God flourishes and we can attain lasting happiness. All spiritual masters andgreat leaders are noted for their being quite demanding with their followers, but none of them is as demanding as Jesus. In fact, he requires that his disciples practice a radical detachment not only from material things but also from their closest family ties and their very selves. Jesus asks us to overcome the instinctive inclination to love in an almost idolatrous manner the person’s dearest to us. He wants his disciples to learn to love as he does. He wants them to love their relatives and friends in a “detached and pure manner.” Such “detachment” and “purity” obviously entail a tremendous amount of a self-forgetfulness and self-control. Not all are able and willing to make so great a sacrifice. In this Eucharistic celebration let us ask for the grace to love Jesus above all, not only in words but also in deeds
HOLY SPIRIT: INSPIRE US
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