He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world keepeth it unto life eternal.
John 12:25
Jesus has such strong words for us. When He says to “hate” something: our life, our family, it can cause uncomfortable feelings, at least for those who may never have really pondered eternal life and/or take this “hate” in a literal, worldly fashion.
What Jesus asks is for us to detach from our life, from our pleasures, even our husbands and children.
That’s a tall order. We love our families, the very families that God has allowed us to have. And it’s not wrong to love them. We are called to self-sacrifice, to charity for all but especially those in our immediate family. Yet, the question is: do we love them more than God? Do we love them for what they do for us, giving us pleasure through their touch, their smile, their conversation, their sweet innocence or loving embrace? Do we love our husbands because they provide us with a comfortable life and companionship and a mutual love? Will we love them as much when they are sick? When they are cranky? When they make a mess we have to clean up?
Become Eternity Focused
Our call to eternity in the Gospel of St. John leads us away from this world and our own situation and comfort, and commands us to focus on what will happen after this short pilgrimage. Whatever joy we feel in this life is nothing compared to eternity. And all that blesses us comes only through God’s Hands. So, to love our spouse for the comfortable home he provides stops short of who really provided the home: God.
And once we focus our attention on God first, above all else, we start to long for our True Home. We start to look around at the world, at the distractions of fun, pleasure, leisure, worry, money, self-interest, hobbies, whatever it is and we start to hate it in the biblical sense, to detach, to see it for what it is. For this world is full of temporary, fleeting, perhaps inconsequential wastes of time that keeps us distracted from our purpose in this very, very short chance we have on this earth to do good.
We are allowed to have fun with our family and friends, to go on camping trips and celebrate Christmas and all the rest. Yet, do not let it become your goal. Whatever house you own here is nothing compared to the castle that awaits you in Heaven. Whatever love you feel here from your family and friends is dull compared to the pure love of God and all of the saints who await you on the other side of the veil.
Book Suggestion for Detachment
If you want help in detaching from this world, I suggest a book that I find life-changing, though it’s not overtly Christian. It’s called Things That Matter by Joshua Becker. It looks at different distractions that keep us from living out our life’s purpose. I think distractions are a great place to start regarding detachment because it’s the devil’s great tool to keep us from focusing on eternity.
Be Like the Flower
Be like the flower that reaches towards Heaven. She is rooted in the soil, she must stay in the world, yet her beauty, her soul always reaches for above. Let your soul hate this world, shun its distractions, and do all things for His Glory.
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