Dean John writes…

Family life can sometimes be challenging and it is tragic and painful when family relationships break down. So, I am delighted by the number of people I have been speaking with over the last few days who have loved having more time together with family over the summer and, as a consequence, are now feeling positive about facing the opportunities and the challenges of autumn. Chief among these are our cathedral chorister families – it has been a pleasure to welcome new choristers and their parents to the cathedral in recent days. We are celebrating the fact that they are now part of the cathedral family.

But how do we make sense of what Jesus is saying in the gospel reading on Sunday? ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father or mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.’ Does this not sound like the dangerous extremism of a cult which undermines and threatens people living life in its fulness – the very thing we believe Jesus wanted for all God’s children. So, how can Jesus talk about hating family members?

Biblical scholars are clear that we are not to take Jesus’s words literally here, and that the large crowd which was following him would not have done so. He was using a rhetorical device to ensure that he had impact. He wanted people to sit up and listen, to respond to his teaching for the benefit of their lives. His words, then, can be both an encouragement and challenge to us. Jesus is talking about commitment, commitment to him and to God’s purpose for our lives. Jesus himself illustrated what total commitment can look like; and like him then, some Christians now face the reality of persecution and even martyrdom (we pray for them and their families and communities). Thankfully, commitment for most of us does not require such sacrifice, but it does require giving of ourselves in ways which are being asked of us by God. This influences how we use our talents, time and money. But each of us has to come to a mind, prayerfully, about what it is for us to follow Jesus Christ, as part of his living church, in the 21^st century.  I hope you have already discovered that the cathedral provides plenty of support as well as opportunities.

One thing we can be sure about – Christ is committed to us. Perhaps the crowds that followed him with such enthusiasm could begin to see that. The cross and resurrection made it clearer than ever for all time.

With all good wishes

Dean John