Reflection for Sunday June 26, Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 9:51-62

Gospel: Luke 9:51-62

When the days for Jesus' being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.  

When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?" Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village. As they 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." To him Jesus said, "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God."

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Reflection:

The story is told about a man who was newly transplanted in his new community. While at church for Sunday Mass he heard the announcement of the church’s need for Catechists so he went to the parish office to signify his intention. 

The parish priest asked him: Why do you want to become a Catechist?   The man replied: I want to have new friends in the parish community. The priest said to him: is it the sole reason why you want to become a Catechist? The man replied: no, I also want to serve the church based on my own convenience.  

While going to Jerusalem Jesus met three men who want to follow Him. The two men signified their intention to follow and the other one He personally called. Jesus emphasized to each of them that it’s not easy to follow Him going to Jerusalem because they have to sacrifice and persevere. Since he himself will persevere, sacrifice and eventually die on the cross. 

Many of us have this mistaken notion that to follow Jesus is easy but it’s not. Many of us think that the moment we follow Jesus our life will now become a bed of roses, but it will not.  To follow Jesus is to carry our cross and others cross too! To follow Jesus is to be ready to embrace suffering and even humiliation for this is really how it is when we decide to become Jesus’ faithful followers. 

Will you still follow Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas