Reflections
September 28, 2011
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.” [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.”
Reflection:
The Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head. This is not an extreme
case of being destitute but a perfect example of total freedom — no
property to protect, no close relatives to say goodbye to, no
attachments to untangle. We are not asked to cut off all relations and
throw away all our belongings. It is the attachment and the dependence
that Jesus wants us to watch for.
My spiritual director in the seminary often reminded me: “What I fear
for you, dear Rau, is you might go to hell clutching one stampita you
cannot let go because it has a sentimental value for you!”
A man’s roof was blown away by the storm. That night he enjoyed the
view of the stars from his bed for the first time in his life.
Give away a valuable item from your cabinet to the first beggar you meet tomorrow.
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