By: Joey Martineck, Seminarian, Archdiocese of Atlanta
Duke Nukem.
The PC game Duke Nukem released when my brother and I were children and we thought it was the coolest video game ever. We spent countless hours fighting the giant octopuses, pigs with bulletproof vests, and other creatures in the game. But what started out as an enjoyable pastime quickly spiraled into an obsession for my little brother. On New Year’s Eve – thanks to a mixture of Mountain Dew and staying up late playing Duke Nukem – my brother began to have a panic attack, fearing that the monsters in the game would come alive and destroy our family.
That was the end of Duke Nukem in the Martineck home.
My brother’s problem was not that video games are bad. His problem was that he had an attachment to video games that was hindering his life.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus challenges his listeners to leave everything behind and follow him (Luke 14:25-33).[1] He names a bunch of things that are good, such as our fathers, mothers, spouses, children, siblings, and even our own lives, but then tells us that if we don’t hate all these things then we “cannot be his disciple[s]” (Luke 14:25-33).[2] Huh? Isn’t that kinda harsh? Does Jesus really want you to hate your Dad, or your children, or your wife? No, and if you do hate your wife, don’t pat yourself on the back, go to some marriage counseling. Jesus means that unless we are more attached to him than any person or any thing, we won’t fully be able to follow him.
So what’s your Duke Nukem right now? What is something hard for you to let go of in your life that’s getting in the way of your relationship with Jesus?
In Dante’s Inferno, the fourth circle of hell holds the greedy: those people who could not let go of their possessions.[3] Dante’s guide explains that “this rabble in the former life had such a mental squint, that disproportionate expense became their principal belief.”[4] Who were these people who could not let go of money? Dictators? Ruthless car salesmen? Actually, Dante mentions that he sees a handful of priests in the fourth circle of hell and “the greediest are popes and cardinals.”[5] These men who started out with good intentions to follow Jesus ended up in hell because they developed worldly attachments that they refused to let go of.
It scares me a little to think that it’s possible for a priest or even a pope to go to hell. When I was young, I thought the only reason someone would want to be a priest was because it meant you got a “Go-Straight-To-Heaven” card when you died. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. But sadly, it’s just not true. Becoming a priest does not automatically mean you will forever be detached from your possessions and fully committed to following Jesus. Becoming a Christian does not automatically mean you will forever be detached from your possessions and fully committed to following Jesus. We must take care not to become like those in the Gospel who in seeking to construct a tower “began to build, [but were] not able to finish” (Luke 14:29).[6]
The cost of following Jesus is our whole life. But maybe you’re like me and have a lot of Duke Nukems that you’re tightly clutching right now. The good news is that we have a Father who wants to give us more than we even think we need.
I heard the story of a speaker at a Steubenville Atlanta Conference years ago who shared how his son found moldy mac and cheese under the sofa cushion one day and secretly began to nibble away at it. For weeks this went on and the son kept getting sick. His parents could not understand why until they found the secret stash of moldy mac and cheese that the boy was holding onto. The father said that if he only knew his son was hungry, he would have gladly made him a fresh pot of mac and cheese.
If we have strong attachments in our lives, let’s not be afraid to tell God about them in prayer. He is a good father. He’ll give us the food we’re really hungry for and make it easy for us to drop the moldy mac and cheese we can’t seem to let go of.
Written by Joey Martineck
First submitted for a class at Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans.
First posted at Beautiful Things: http://www.joeymartineck.blogspot.com/
Graphic borrowed from: https://www.google.com/search?q=duke+nukem&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiLlZCq0fPOAhXGRSYKHaH2AusQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=crFwrKQdkVA2UM%3A
[1] EWTN.com, Gospel for Sunday September 4th, 2016.
[2] EWTN.com.
[3] Carson, 44.
[4] Dante’s Inferno. Carson, 45.
[5] Carson, 45.
[6] EWTN.com, Gospel for Sunday September 4th, 2016.
About the Author: Joey Martineck, Seminarian, Archdiocese of Atlanta
Joey Martineck is a seminarian in formation to be a Roman Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Currently, he is studying philosophy at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, where he serves as the Director of Creative Arts. He loves to write, act, and do improv comedy. He is the published author of the one act play Wise Men.
Check out his personal blog: http://www.joeymartineck.blogspot.com/
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