God Comes First

Question: Do you have a soul?

Where did that soul come from?

If I have a soul, and God gave me that soul, divine revelation teaches us that God wants my soul for Himself. He does not want part of my soul; He wants all of it. Not the part that is left over after we love our husband or wife; not the part that is left after we give it to our children; not the part that is left after I pursue my success or own leisure. God does not want what is left over after I am finished giving my soul to others. He wants it all.

Everything.

Now, that might make sense in our minds. It might be perfectly clear from what we know of God and what the “right answer” would be to that question. However, I don’t think it is as straightforward as we might believe. It is certainly not an easy thing. And we can see how difficult it is as Jesus teaches us today.

“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; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

This is difficult, isn’t it? We are certainly inclined to love our fathers and mothers; to love our sons and daughters. This is human nature, isn’t it? In fact, wouldn’t love of these be in accord with the will of God? Are we not to love one another?

Yes. But this is not what Jesus is saying here. He is not saying that we are not to love them. What Jesus is speaking about is the order of that love. For Christ, God comes first. Only God. There is nothing – no person, no thing, no pursuit – that is above God. We are wholly His. And this is what God wants. He wants all of us.

But, Father, what about my husband or wife? What about my children? What about my family? Am I not to love them with my all?

Yes. But the love that they deserve, the love for which they were made, does not come from our all. It comes from God. And we cannot give that kind of love until we have given everything to God. God comes first.

And the beautiful thing about love is that by giving it away it is not diminished. Rather than being a finite resource in our lives, true love – the love of God – is not only renewable, it grows as we share it. But it has to be given to God first. That is the challenge that Jesus presents today.

Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

The paradox of divine love is that as it is given it grows. As we spend ourselves for God, we become more who we are made to be. Jesus wants us to understand that when we lose ourselves for His sake, we actually receive more than we could otherwise contain. How can this be done?

It is accomplished by taking steps to forget ourselves – not in an ignorant or a careless way. Rather, we forget ourselves – or “lose ourselves” – through love directed toward others. First, this love is oriented to God. From there, this love overflows and is directed to others around us. We think of their needs and their good. It is like the holy woman in the first reading. She seeks to make space in her home for the prophet Elisha. This charity is rewarded by God with a child.

In our life, we should seek to make space for Him in our hearts. Offering God space in our lives might begin as a small act. It might only be a few minutes a day. However, as God enters that space He enlarges it. We begin to crave more time with Him and He gives Himself more and more. This is God’s desire for us. He will not force Himself on us, rather He will receive what we are willing to give. The gist of Jesus’ teaching at this time is that we should seek to give everything to God, since we are made for Him. By doing that, paradoxically, we receive everything in return.

So, God is not interested in part of my soul. He does not want whatever is left over after I have given what I want. God wants my complete “yes” to Him. That is what Jesus means by whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. That is radical love. God does not simply want my gifts and talents to do something good in the world; He already has access to those things. What God wants is me – all of me – all of you. Try greatness and the truth of our identity is found in giving ourselves recklessly to God, and from that gift we will gain everything.