Jesus Is Calling You To Follow Him (P.S. He Needs An Answer Today!)

Jesus is calling you to follow him. Really, he is. But, even though he is all powerful, he won’t force you to do it. In the readings from today’s Mass, we see examples of several people who were invited to follow the Lord. Some said “yes” and others said “no”. Here are a few things to consider as you look at the readings.

Jesus Is Calling You

The Lord is calling you to follow him on the path that will bring great joy…

You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.

It Will Set You Free

Saying “yes” will set you free…

For you were called for freedom, brothers and sisters.
But do not use this freedom
as an opportunity for the flesh;
rather, serve one another through love.

Some Will Say, “Yes”

In today’s First Reading, Elijah followed the Lord’s instructions and anointed Elisha to succeed him as prophet. Even though God wanted him to say “yes”, he didn’t have to. By slaughtering his oxen and burning his plowing equipment, however, Elisha made a conscious decision to leave his old life behind and set out on the new path chosen for him by the Lord…

Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him.
Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said,
“Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,
and I will follow you.”
Elijah answered, “Go back!
Have I done anything to you?”
Elisha left him, and taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them;
he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh,
and gave it to his people to eat.
Then Elisha left and followed Elijah as his attendant.

Some Will Say, “No”

In the gospel, Jesus personally reaches out and invites several individuals to follow him, but they are too busy…

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.”

I always thought that Jesus was being overly harsh here until I learned what what actually happening. In all likelihood, this man’s father was still alive. He was putting Jesus off, saying that it wasn’t a good time to become a disciple. The same applies to the one who wanted to say farewell to his family at home. Jesus would never ask anyone to abandon their family. Instead, he was looking for a serious commitment. Because he could read hearts, Jesus knew that these men were making excuses and called them on it.

Why Would Anyone Not Want To Follow Jesus?

Why would anyone not want to follow Jesus? The answer may have something to do with where he was heading…

When the days for Jesus’ being taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.

The original Greek word used for “resolutely determined” (sterizo) implies that Jesus turned resolutely in a certain direction. In this case, he consciously and deliberately headed toward Jerusalem – to die. When given the chance to “put up or shut up”, these potential disciples concluded that it wasn’t worth the cost and said, “No, thanks”.

It’s Time For You To Decide

Jesus calls each one of us to follow him and that means a lot more than just going to Mass on Sunday. It means loving our enemies and putting others first. It means sacrificing some of our “me time”. He’s not asking you to literally leave your family and job, but to serve him through your family,in the office and on social media. Being a disciple is not supposed to be easy. It’s a tough job, but you’ll be working for a great boss who will give you all the help you need.

After hearing today’s message, you too are forced to make a decision. You can either choose to be like Elisha and leave your old way of life behind or you can say “No thanks, Jesus” and play it safe. It has to be one or the other. To not decide is to decide.

I can’t tell you what to do, but I know what I’m doing. There is only one answer that brings peace and joy. It may involve some inconvenience and discomfort, but it’s worth it. I choose to follow Jesus. I hope you will too!