23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

I once heard this story: There was a small village where a widow and her young son lived. The son who's name was Peter,grew up and turned into a young man . He felled in love and got married .He loved his wife very very much! His wife was very possessive and mean young woman. She always wanted him to prove his love to her. " Bring me that beautiful scarf your mother have!". Peter went to his mother and asked for the scarf. Even so it was the memory from her dear late husband the mother said" Of cause my dear son , take it to your wife!". After she got the scarf the young woman summoned her husband and said: "I want that beautiful ring that your mother wearing!". Peter went to his mother and asked for the ring . His mother did not want to part with the ring , it was her wedding ring but... she loved her son too much and she gave him the ring . The young man brought the ring to his beautiful wife . She grabbed the ring and said:" Now , if you really love me go to your mother and bring me her beating heart!". Peter was terrified! But he loved his wife too much to refuse. So when the night time came he went to his mother house quitely and when his mother fall a sleep, cut her heart out and carried it ,still beating, to his wife.  This story reminds us that saying I love you is one thing, but to prove it is another thing. In our Gospel (Luke 14:25-33), those who love Jesus were asked to prove their love for him.  He said, "If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." Jesus did not say these words so that we have to abandon our family, relatives and even friends. Rather, Jesus would instruct us that he should be our priority if we love him. If we really love him, we can sacrifice or leave everything behind just to be with him. If a parent, a spouse,a child or a friend would hinder us to come closer to Jesus, then we have to make a stand. If we love Jesus, he must be our number one choice. Amen.