I Will Follow You, Lord

Wednesday Gospel Reflection: Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey, someone said to him,
"I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus answered him,
"Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."
And to another he said, "Follow me."
But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God."
And another said, "I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home."
Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."

~ Luke 9:57-62

In today’s Gospel, we read of the people who admire Jesus and are inspired by him, and so, “I will follow you,” they say. But they are reminded that they have their concerns to deal with first. Jesus then asks them if they know what it means to follow him. Therefore, my brothers and sisters in Christ, what does it mean to follow Christ?

Since we are all called to sainthood, let us look to the saints for an example of Christ. As we celebrated the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul yesterday, I would like to recall a quote from him on following Christ.

“Perfection consists in one thing alone, which is doing the will of God. For, according to Our Lord's words, it suffices for perfection to deny self, to take up the cross and to follow Him. Now who denies himself and takes up his cross and follows Christ better than he who seeks not to do his own will, but always that of God? Behold, now, how little is needed to become as Saint? Nothing more than to acquire the habit of willing, on every occasion, what God wills.”

St. Vincent was an intelligent priest who devoted his life to always working for the poor, the enslaved, the abandoned, and the ignored. He was in love with our Lord, leaving everything, picking up his cross, and following Christ.

Let us, Brothers and Sisters, make good disciples of Christ, lay down our lives, “let the dead bury the dead,” pick up our crosses, and follow Christ.

Saint Vincent De Paul, Ora Pro Nobis (Pray for us).