Today’s Gospel can sound unsettling: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” At first, it almost seems as though Jesus is asking us to love our families less. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Jesus, who honored His own mother and healed countless families, is revealing the secret to a truly holy home. When God holds first place in our lives, we learn to love everyone else as He loves them. If we place even good things—such as family—in the place that belongs to God alone, our love can become shaped by our own expectations rather than by His grace.
St. John reminds us that “God is love,” and because we are created in His image, we are made for that same self-giving love. The more deeply we know Christ through prayer, Scripture, the Eucharist, Confession, and Adoration, the more patient, forgiving, and generous we become.
Putting Christ first does not diminish our love for our families—it transforms it. The closer we draw to Him, the more fully we become the spouse, parent, child, or friend that those we love truly need us to be.
Living in Love with God 
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