Reflection for Wednesday September 30 Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church: Luke 9:57-62

Gospel: Luke 9:57-62

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.”

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Reflection:

What does it require to follow Jesus?

Following Jesus requires us to leave behind everything that could hinder our faithful and enduring discipleship. Is it possible for us to follow Jesus while remaining attached to the things we have? No, we cannot truly follow Him wholeheartedly if we continue to cling to whatever prevents us from giving ourselves completely to Him.

Can we follow Jesus and, at the same time, continue to live in sin? Can we follow Him while remaining attached to material things? Can we follow Him and still embrace the hedonistic lifestyle of this world? No, we cannot. When we decide to follow Jesus, we are also choosing to leave behind our sinful ways, our unhealthy attachments, and everything that keeps us from drawing closer to Him.

To follow Jesus is initially difficult—there is no question about it—for it requires a radical change in the way we live. It requires us to examine our priorities, surrender our attachments, and allow God to transform our hearts. But let us not be afraid to follow Him. Jesus never asks us to walk the journey of discipleship by relying solely on our own strength. As we take that first step toward Him, we learn to depend not on ourselves but on Him.

When we truly surrender ourselves to Jesus, we begin to discover that we are never alone. We can entrust everything to Him—our hopes, our fears, our struggles, our failures, our dreams, and even our very lives. He walks with us when the road is difficult. He strengthens us when we are weak. He lifts us when we fall. And when we feel lost, His grace gently leads us back to Him.

What if we are very sinful? Would Jesus still call us to follow Him? Yes, absolutely! Our sins and failures do not make us unworthy of His invitation to begin again. Jesus knows our weaknesses, yet He still calls us. He knows our failures, yet He still invites us. He sees the parts of our lives that we would rather hide, yet He continues to reach out to us with mercy and love.

Therefore, let us not use our sinfulness as an excuse to remain far from Jesus. Instead, let us allow His mercy to draw us closer to Him. Following Jesus does not mean that we are already perfect; it means that we are willing to let Him transform us. It means that every day, we choose Him again and again, leaving behind whatever keeps us from becoming the persons He calls us to be.

Let us remember that discipleship is not merely about saying that we believe in Jesus. It is about allowing Him to change our hearts, our priorities, our decisions, and the way we live. It is about trusting Him enough to surrender what we cannot carry and letting go of what we cannot bring into the life He desires for us.

Today, Jesus is calling each of us to follow Him more deeply. What are we still holding on to—our sins, our attachments, our worldly desires, our fears, or our pride—that keeps us from following Him wholeheartedly? And are we ready to place everything into His hands and say, “Lord Jesus, I choose You. Help me leave everything behind and follow You”?— Marino J. Dasmarinas