Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus rose up
and went out to a deserted place, and prayed. Simon and those who were with him
followed after him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for
you.”
Jesus said, “Let’s go into the next towns, that I may preach
there also, because I came for this reason.”
As they went on the way, a man said to him, “I want to
follow you wherever you go, Lord.”
Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of
the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Jesus said to another, “Follow me!” But he said, “Lord,
allow me first to go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to
bury their own dead, but you go and announce God’s Kingdom.”
Another said, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow
me to say good-bye to those who are at my house.” Jesus said to him, “No one,
having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom.”
Reflection
Few people who met Jesus were able to
go back unchanged to the life they had always known. His message was both
inviting and challenging; timid, half-hearted responses wouldn’t do. Does the
urgency and priority of Jesus’ call speak to your own experience of faith? Do
you have obstacles in your life which make it difficult to follow Jesus fully?
Prayer:
Give me the courage I need, Lord, in responding to your call.
No comments:
Post a Comment