Our reflection verse today is another statement by Jesus that shocks many at first blush. But our first reaction should not be to react. We should first try and understand a few things related to this verse. First, how was the term “hate” used in other areas of the New Testament? The force of the word is typically Semitic and was used in Matthew’s gospel, where the term means “loves father or mother more,” which would tell us that the meaning of hate in this context means to love less. The second item to note is the context and setting of the saying. At the time of Jesus, social and economic conditions led families to become self-contained. This prevented them from fulfilling the law of ransom or liberation (goel), which called one to help one’s brothers and sisters in the community (clan) who were in danger of losing their land or becoming slaves. When the family of Jesus wanted to take him back to Nazareth, he ignored or hated their petition and chose to expand the definition of his family by saying, “Behold, my mother and my brothers! Anyone who does the will of God is my brother, sister, and mother.” The life of Jesus is about choosing a different way to live. It’s a choice to favor him above all things in life or favor the ways of the world. Only one choice will bring true joy, peace, happiness, and eternal life.