Putting Christ in the center strengthens all other relationships.
There are many things in this world that can take us away from the importance of family, friends, and faith. In today’s Gospel, Jesus is asking for a challenging commitment: to place Him at the center of all our affections and life. Jesus does not ask us to end or leave our relationships with others, but seeks to enrich them by placing Him in the center.
We recently had three postulants (“laypeople in training”) with us for the past few weeks, who will soon be moving on to spend the next year studying religious life, learning to pray, and living together to work as a community. This regimen is a voluntary submission to God’s plan, and the hope is that they place Christ at the center of their lives; and all other relationships flow from there.
How do I put Christ in the center of my relationships? What things lure me away from doing this? How can I encourage my family and friends to resist the temptations and place God in the center?
Let us pray today for all families to be enriched by Christ’s love and care for our lives.
For additional reading: Today’s Gospel: Jesus: A Cause of Division, The Process of Becoming a Priest
