“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…” (Mt 10:37)  I think there is a tendency among believers that when we hear those words, we respond with, what I call, “the holy nod.” It is our reflexive response: Jesus said it, it must be true, amen, alleluia. Yet if we sit with it for a moment, there is a certain harshness to the words. We treasure our families—we pour our hearts into the daily rhythms of care, communication, sacrifice, and support, and more.  How do Jesus’ words reconcile with the Christian ideal of love?

But Jesus is not diminishing the love we owe our families. Rather, He is reordering it—elevating it. In calling us to love Him first, Jesus invites us to see that love of family finds its fullest meaning and power when rooted in our love for God.

We are called to “take up our cross” (v. 38). And for many, that cross is carried not on distant mission fields or grand platforms, but within the home: in caring for an aging parent, raising a child in faith, forgiving a sibling, or choosing self-sacrifice for the good of the household. These acts, often hidden and humble, are expressions of deep discipleship.