Homily for 8 Nov 2017

8 Nov 2017

Saint Paul says to “love;” Jesus says to “hate.”  But, really, they’re saying the same thing.  They’re both saying: Put others first and, especially, put God first.  That what it means to “love your neighbor” and also to “hate one’s father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and one’s own life.”  Saint Paul and Jesus are saying the same thing: Put others first...but, especially, put God first.

They’re asking us to give priority to God and his ways, and to give slightly less priority to our attachments.  And we know that not from the English words “love” and “hate,” but from the Greek words “agape [ah-GAH-pay]” and “misei [MEE-say].”  For us, “love” and “hate” are opposite ends of a spectrum.  That’s why it sounds terrible when Jesus says to “hate” the people we love. 

But in the Greek, the words “agape” and “misei” aren’t so extreme.  They both have to do with priorities, and where our priorities are.  To love, to “agape,” means to give a little more weight to others’ needs than to our own.  And to hate, to “misei,” means to give a little more priority to our relationship with God than our relationship with others. 

And so, Saint Paul says to “love;” Jesus says to “hate.”  But, really, they’re saying the same thing.  They’re both saying: Put others first and, especially, put God first.  It’s like what Saint Mother Teresa said about “joy,” and having joy in our hearts.  “Joy:” J.O.Y.  “Jesus, Others, You,” in that order.  If we can keep our priorities straight, we’ll have joy in our hearts, and bring joy to others.