Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C

Luke 9:51 - 62

When I lived in Buffalo, I had a friend who was a Presbyterian minister. Now there really aren't a lot of Presbyterians outside of the big cities; here in New England they are quite rare, because way back the Congregationalists and Presbyterians decided that they were so similar that the Congregationalists would work in the Northeast and the Presbyterians everywhere else. However, given the fact that both the Baptists and Methodists greatly outnumber the Presbyterians, this strategy was not successful. And the reason, according to my friend, was that the Methodists and Baptists could hop on a horse with a bible in their pocket and preach the gospel anywhere, whereas the Presbyterians had to wait until there was a railroad, because the ministers carried around trunk loads of books.

Today Jesus is proving once again that he isn't very good at public relations. He's been on the road, preaching, working miracles, gathering followers, many of whom have heard him say things like “The Son of Man must suffer and die, and rise again”. And they wondered what this meant. And finally Jesus, in the fullness of time resolutely determines (an older translation says “set his face like flint”) to go to Jerusalem, where everyone knew he would risking his life.

This gospel passage tells us several things. First, Jesus invites us on his journey – a journey that Thomas recognizes when he tells the other apostles, “Let us go down with him and die.” Dietrich Bonhoffer said something similar – Christ invites us to go to Jerusalem and die with him. If we are followers of Christ, that is our goal because it's the only way to resurrection. Jesus wants to minister to the Samaritans, who reject him. James and John offer to call down fire from heaven and wipe them off the face of the earth. Sometimes that's our reaction when we meet someone who doesn't think like us. We don't mind if they disagree, just so it doesn't affect us, and often, it doesn't. It's hard not to get mad at a politician who has held his finger to the wind and decided to vote for assisted suicide, unrestricted taxpayer funded access to abortion, open borders, allowing men who identify as women to compete in women's sports, and the list goes on. And I am tempted to get angry when I hear someone who claims to be Catholic advocating these positions. But Jesus models for us that it is not out place to destroy those who oppose us; even when it takes everything we have, our job is to continue to love them, never compromising on our values, but never forgetting that God loves them just as much as he loves me, and indeed, just as much as he loves the Blessed Mother. And maybe it is here that some of us will be called to go down to Jerusalem and die with him.

Even after all this, there are some fools that still want to follow Jesus. One promises to go wherever he goes. In those days students of rabbis would live with the rabbi while learning; they would take care of the rabbi's needs in exchange. That's what this man is doing. Jesus says that he doesn't have a place like that; if you choose to follow Jesus, expect that life will not be that comfortable. Following Jesus means that if we have two cloaks and our neighbor has none, we are to give him one of our cloaks. Following Jesus means that when we see a hungry crowd, we don't dismiss them; we give them food. Following Jesus means that we stop and bind up the wounds of the one lying by the side of the road. But most of us are more concerned with making sure we have two cars that run, several changes of clothing, a place where we can spread out, a color television, cable, and I could go on and on. Following Jesus to the point where we are not comfortable may be how some of us will go to Jerusalem and die with him.

Let the dead bury the dead, he says to another. Sometimes following Jesus means that we will go against the expectations of society, even of our families. There was a time when every Catholic mother and not a few Catholic fathers rejoiced when one of their children chose to become a priest or a brother or a nun. Now not only do Catholic parents not even suggest such things to their children, but when the child comes to such a decision on his or her own terms, they actively discourage them. And when a Catholic couple face the choice of having more than two children, it's the rare couple who chooses to serve God by raising a large family. Sometimes going to Jerusalem to die with Jesus means that we will disappoint or even anger those we love.

A third person promises to follow Jesus, but first to go home and say goodbye to his family. After all, Elisha did exactly that when summoned by Elijah. But Jesus is not Elijah. Once you've decided to follow Jesus, he will never take second place. And how guilty am I of this, because I can always think of reasons that I should do something else first; we all have long lists of things to do, and when they all get done, then we can turn our undivided attention to Jesus. And for some of us, saying goodbye to not only family, but all those things that occupy our days and are so familiar and pleasant, is the way we will go to Jerusalem with Him and die.

This is one of those passages in the gospels that makes me feel guilty and it should make you feel that way as well. This Jesus is not warm and cuddly, He is not the one who looks on my selfish ways like a tolerant old grandfather looks upon his three year old grandchild. Jesus is talking to people who want to follow him, who perhaps have already made that cholce, and he is saying that following him means that your every waking moment must be proclaiming God's kingdom with your whole being. Otherwise you aren't worthy of the kingdom of heaven.

Are you and I willing to go down to Jerusalem and die with him? If I'm honest, the answer is a shaky, sad “no”. And my hope is that I'm a little better than I was ten years ago, and that there will be mercy, even for people like me who aren't willing.