Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
In today’s gospel Jesus meets three potential/would-be disciples, and points out potential challenges or pitfalls that each of them faces in their pursuit of discipleship. Since we are all striving to be good disciples of Jesus, it would be good to look at each of these challenges so that we might avoid them.
Jesus’ response to the first potential disciple is “the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Here he is pointing to the challenges that come with discipleship. Applied generally, this suggests that being a disciple of Jesus will pose some challenges in our lives, will push us out of our comfort zone. We won’t be able to just rest in our complacency, but we will have to move and will find ourselves in places that aren’t comfortable for us.
To the third potential disciple, Jesus says, “no one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.” Here the suggestion is that entering into discipleship will change our lives and circumstances in some ways. Of course, when this happens, we find ourselves missing the way things used to be. But if we keep looking back to these and pining for them, we will be less than whole-hearted in our following of Jesus, and Jesus want followers who are completely committed.
The second potential disciple asks to bury his father before he becomes a disciple of Jesus. Jesus’ response seems harsh until we realize that this man’s father is still alive. So, the man is actually asking to put off following Jesus until circumstances are different. Here the lesson could be that we should not put off following Jesus. Circumstances will never be perfect. We need to simply pick up our crosses and start following him.
Reflection by Fr. Aquinas Keusenkothen, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections