1 Kings 19: 16,19-21;Â Galatians 5: 1,13-18;Â Luke 9: 51-62
“Jesus resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, (9:51)”
It is important to note how Luke began this sentence. “When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled.” He knew that the time for him to return to heaven was near. This meant that He knew that this would be his final trip to Jerusalem. He knew that he was going to offer his life to complete the Father’s plan for salvation. He knew he was going to die. And nothing —   absolutely nothing was going to distract him from his mission.
This becomes an opportunity then for him to teach his apostles about the importance of being resolute in their decision to follow Christ. There must be no excuses as to why we are not going to do the Lord’s work immediately. Even so, it seemed so many of those whom he invited to follow him, gave him excuses, “I will follow you, but first let me say goodbye to my family. Another said, let me first bury my father.”
These both sound like very much like many of the excuses I hear from people today.
Well I am a Christian, but I don’t really go to Church.
I guess I will get more serious about my faith after my parents have died.
When the kids have graduated I will give more time to the Church.
When I finish school I’ll begin working on my faith.
I have all these unfinished projects at work.
When you look at these excuses in comparison to what Christ is promising us they are all pretty feeble. It doesn’t help that so many people have the misconception that in the end everyone is going to heaven. This is simply not true. While everyone who has ever lived has the possibility of heaven, not everyone is going to get there; especially those whom Christ has called to be his followers and have rejected that call.
The one valid reason that anyone would have for not following Jesus is that it will cost us our life. This is a pretty big price to pay. To follow Jesus requires that we give everything that we have and everything we are to him. But the reward is not just the future promise of heaven. The promise is also a life lived with Christ here on this earth. And so the benefit we will receive by following Christ with our whole heart, soul and being far outweighs the price we will pay.
Now having said that, just what does it mean to give our life to Christ? Does it mean following him as a priest as I have done, or as a religious? Does it mean we have to sell everything we have, give it to the poor, and then follow him? Maybe it does mean this. But I would be willing to say that for most of you the Lord is asking you to give him your life simply by living your faith within the context of the life you already have been given?
The apostles were being prepared for the special mission of becoming the first bishops of the Church. This meant that every one of them would eventually give his life just as Christ gave his. Ten would die martyrs death, and one, John, would die as a prisoner in exile. Through the centuries God has continued to call men and women, priests and religious, with the special calling to follow Christ. As priests and religious we do this by “leaving our homes and family.”
If you think about it though Christ has called billions of people through the centuries, the vast majority of who were not called to this radical forsaking of the world. Every single one of you here today has been called into a relationship with Christ. You did not choose Him. He chose you. As the people He has chosen, you are called to follow Christ according to the life in which you live. In other words, you are called to be Christian first and foremost in every part of your life. Your faith must be a part of every single choice you make. Your faith must guide your every word and action.
And so, how do you live this out? If you are a parent, you are called to be a Christian parent, passing on the faith you have been given to your children. You are to be the first to teach your children the faith. What we do here in our parish and school can only give assistance to you in what you must do in your home. Every choice you make for your family, whether it be where you live, where your children go to school, how you spend your money in the family, or the entertainment you choose, must reflect your Christian faith. These are not things you simply do during the week, while Church is something you do on Sunday.  Christ expects to be an integral part of every aspect of your life.
In the workplace, you must remember that you are first and foremost, a Christian. The conversations you have with co-workers, the attitude you bring to the workplace are supposed to build up the community of the workplace. You are to be the person who brings the holiness of Christ to your daily workplace. So no matter whether you are a teacher or a waitress, a doctor or nurse, a lawyer or laborer, you are first and foremost a Christian. Jesus is NOT expecting you to give up your work to follow him (unless your work involves doing things that are contrary to his teaching). He expects you to follow him by bringing him into the workplace.
Christ calls each of us, according to our own gifts and abilities, to be his followers and therefore to live as the Body of Christ. Today, as we eat His body and drink His blood, let us pray for the grace to answer this call. Let us pray for the grace to truly place him first in all we say and do. Let us pray for the grace to become what he has called us to be, his life-giving presence in our world.
