Posted by The WORD in other words (2006) by Frater Aris Martin SVD – Divine Word Seminary of Tagaytay
Monday 15th Week in Ordinary Time
The Gospel in Matthew’s missionary discourse reminds us that discipleship means making God our priority. Jesus teaches: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).
To make God our priority is to give Him what is due. God has already proven His love for us—total, unconditional, and without reserve. The question is: are we willing to lose everything in order to love Him in return?
As long as we cling to something or someone we refuse to surrender, we have not yet fully loved God. As long as we maintain relationships or habits dictated by worldly concerns, we are not yet giving Him His due. Jesus calls us to cut away anything that hinders us from following Him: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).
Yes, letting go can be painful. But the pain of surrender is nothing compared to the joy of discipleship. Only then can we echo St. Paul: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Christian life is not about half-measures. It is about surrendering our energy, effort, and trust entirely to God. When we do this, our lives become aligned with His mission. As Jesus assures: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides” (Matthew 6:33).
Discipleship is costly, but it is also liberating. To give God what is due is to discover that in losing ourselves, we gain everything in Christ.
