Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Mt 8:18-22

Every day in our lives, we have to make decisions about almost everything. For example, clothes, food, choosing friends, a job, where to go, etc. Choosing also means giving up. If we choose this one, we will have to give up another one. In today God’s Gospel, Jesus’ answers show that choosing to follow Jesus is a drastic or strong decision. His disciple must give up almost everything to follow him with his whole heart and mind in the way of following Jesus.

But there is something not easy to understand about Jesus’ saying, “Let the dead bury their dead.” Jesus was not commanding sons and daughters to think lightly of the honor due to parents but rather signifying that nothing ought to be more urgent to us than the affairs of the kingdom of heaven. Do not let anything take first place over service to the coming reign of heaven. In other words, let the spiritually dead—those who are not willing to follow Christ—take care of themselves at home. Jesus wants his followers to choose the most crucial way to serve in God’s kingdom. This is not just a calling, it is the highest calling, one that should inspire and motivate us in our daily lives.

But what does it mean when Jesus said, “Follow me?” Does he mean this calling is only for religious leaders, priests, and bishops? No, we are all Christ’s followers and are called to follow Christ and serve in God’s kingdom differently. Each of us, regardless of our role, is integral to the functioning of God's kingdom. Our highest calling does not mean we must follow the same things. Following Christ means that whatever we do, speak, and especially whatever we choose, it must be done in Christ's light. In other words, we choose to follow Christ and give up spiritually dead for the world. We must choose Christ because if we do not choose to follow Christ, we choose nothing; if we choose Christ, we choose everything.