Exaggerated Love

So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions (Luke 14:33). This verse concludes the passage from the Gospel of Luke in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today. Friar Jude Winkler comments that the opening lines of this passage where Jesus declares that those who do not hate father, mother, brother and sister cannot be His disciple is an example of Jewish exaggeration. The texts from the Letter to the Romans and Psalm 112 are more direct proclamations of the Way of Love for one another and the ancient understand of the blessing which comes to the righteous. The generosity, mercy, compassion and care of those who are seeking Life in communion with God fills them with the Love proclaimed as the core of the Commandments addressed to our neighbours by Paul. The Gospel of Luke uses the exaggeration technique in the words of Jesus to focus our attention that the process of growing in Love of God and others is the movement, as Friar Jude notes, to give back to God all the people, talents and possessions that He has given to us. Love is the completion of our mission. Our wise calculus opens our hearts and trusts in God to use all we have for Love.