We hear Jesus issue some harsh directives in our Gospel reading today. He tells us if our hands and feet cause us to sin, to cut them off. If our eyes cause us to sin, then gouge them out. Does He realize how physically painful this would be to us?
My friends, Jesus was not advocating for mutilation, which is always immoral. There are times when doctors must remove parts of the body for health reasons, but Jesus spoke in a typically Semitic manner—graphic, vivid, and exaggerated. The focus should not be on the physical, but on the message.
And what is the message? On your journey to God, you must be ruthless against obstacles that keep you from Him. Remove anything that takes God’s place in your life. If you want to live with God’s life now and forever, let nothing supplant Him. This echoes the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before Me” and “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” Many Christians strive to live by these commandments, but often set up false gods—idols that push the true God into the background and ruin relationships.
These idols can be many things: pride, passion, work, play, lust, power, drugs, or even yourself. A survey in “Psychology Today” magazine once revealed that a central passion for young adults is money, leading to worsening health, anxiety, job dissatisfaction, loneliness, and discontent with God.
The crucial question for each of us is: what takes top priority in my life? Who or what commands me? If it’s not God, I need to realign my life. Our Baptism commissioned us to carry Christ wherever we go—not by preaching, but by being Christ-like. Love others as much as you love yourself, be open to life, and prioritize people over work.
Strive for success, but not at others’ expense. Live in comfort, but be uneasy while others suffer. Take pride in your achievements, but help the less fortunate. Love God’s creation, both people and things.
Many years ago, a man in our rehab program here at Graymoor, at St. Christopher’s Inn, was deeply moved by this Gospel. I even noticed him copying the words onto a piece of paper. I asked him why this Gospel resonated with him more than one about God’s love and compassion. He replied, “Father, I need to change drastically. I have to cut off and pluck out.” He successfully completed our program. He realized he needed to make drastic changes—doing away with harmful influences.
Years later, he returned to the chapel with his young son, now a changed man. After we celebrated Mass, his son looked up at me and said, “This is where my daddy got well.” This story illustrates that “cut off and pluck out” is not mutilation, but liberation.
We all have things in our lives that hinder our relationship with Christ. My friends, I urge you to remember the words of St. Paul: “Let nothing separate you from the love of God that comes to us through Christ Jesus.”
