23rd Sunday: Attachment to God

09-01-2019Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

In Lk. 14, 25-33, the Lord tells us about the importance of detachment in discipleship. “Anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Are we to attach to God and detach ourselves and the world?

I remember when I left the confines of the seminary formation house and lived for 2 months with a Mangyan (Indigenous Community) family, in the southern mountains of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. Crossing through rivers and hiking through mountains to reach the mission station, I realized, that my journey begins. The 2 months exposure with my host family was the most real lesson on worldly detachment, and attachment to God. In the far mountains, my only attachment was God, and the great nature He created.

September 8, is the birthday of Mama Mary! She is the model of someone who gave up all her worldly attachments in order to follow God’s will. Her life was filled with a constant giving to the “Will of God”. When the hour came, it was certainly not easy for her to give up her only child on the cross. Her attachment and obedience to God was easy because she made a complete detachment.

A priest once said, “The journey to God’s heart really begins when we step beyond our comfort zones and go the “extra mile. As long as we are focused on and attached to our career paths, family ties and our circle of friends, the journey to God’s heart never really begins. When we are willing to leave everything and everyone for God, then the journey starts.”

Two people were shipwrecked. The first guy was rich and would not let go of his bags full of money and precious possessions. He drowned. The other guy was poor and his hands were free to swim and to hold on to any floating debris. Thus, he survived. So, too, in life.

Remember, unless and until we learn to surrender to something or someone greater than ourselves, we will never experience true freedom and the joy of being children of God. Often, the key to a meaningful and peaceful life is surrendering. “Those who joyfully leave everything in God’s hands will see God’s hand in everything.” Lord, help us to detach ourselves more from the world, and instead, attach ourselves more to you, our God.