Gospel: Luke 9:57-62
As they went on their way, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another, Jesus said, “Follow me!” But he answered, “Let me go back now, for, first, I want to bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their dead; as for you, leave them, and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said to him, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” And Jesus said to him, “Whoever has put his hand to the plow, and looks back, is not fit for the kingdom of God.”
Reflection:
“Through trust and love.”
The “Little Flower” wrote the story of her short life in her Story of a Soul. As the tuberculosis worsened, she became weaker and was unable to hold a pen. Finally, three months before her death, the pencil slipped from her fingers too. Further words were recorded, but the last words she wrote herself were “through trust and love.” We can only keep following Jesus through trust and love. The people considering following Christ in today’s Gospel have a divided heart that is fearful of leaving the security of the familiar behind. Their confidence in Christ and their desire for him aren’t strong enough to take the first step of discipleship. But trust and love need to be there along the way, too, since the difficulties and dark times we face will test our relationship with the Lord. Saint Thérèse experienced this very acutely at the end of her life when she was assaulted by great thoughts of doubt and darkness, but these temptations only served to strengthen her faith and love. May Saint Thérèse help us to follow Christ with confidence, and to show our love for him even in the smallest of actions.
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