Following Without Looking Back (Luke 9:57-62)

Today's gospel presents us with three encounters that reveal the true cost of discipleship. As Jesus journeys toward Jerusalem, three different people approach him with varying degrees of commitment to follow him. Each interaction teaches us something profound about what it means to be a disciple.

The Challenge of Radical Commitment

The first person boldly declares, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus responds with surprising honesty about the reality of discipleship: "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head." Following Jesus means embracing uncertainty and letting go of earthly securities. It's not a comfortable path, but one that demands complete trust.

The second person receives a direct invitation from Jesus: "Follow me." Yet he asks to first bury his father. While this seems like a reasonable request, Jesus' response cuts to the heart of the matter: "Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God." The urgency of God's call cannot wait for our perfect timing or completed obligations.

The third encounter is perhaps the most relatable. Someone wants to follow Jesus but asks to first say goodbye to family. Jesus responds with the striking image of the plow: "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."

Saint Thérèse's Example

How fitting that we read this passage on the feast of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. At just fifteen years old, she demonstrated the very commitment Jesus describes. She was willing to travel to Rome to petition the Pope for permission to enter Carmel early. She left behind the comforts of family life to pursue her calling as the bride of Christ.

Saint Thérèse understood that following Jesus requires a heart undivided. Her "little way" was built on this foundation of complete surrender and trust. She didn't look back with regret or forward with anxiety, but lived fully present to God's will in each moment.

Living the Message Today

This gospel challenges us to examine our own discipleship. What conditions do we place on following Jesus? What securities are we unwilling to release? What past comforts keep us from moving forward in faith?

The image of the plow is particularly powerful for our modern lives. Anyone who has plowed a field knows that looking backward creates crooked furrows. The work requires focus and forward momentum. Similarly, our spiritual journey demands that we keep our eyes fixed on Christ, not constantly glancing back at what we've left behind.

This doesn't mean we abandon all responsibilities or relationships. Rather, it means that our ultimate allegiance belongs to God, and all other commitments flow from that primary relationship.

A Prayer for Today

Saint Thérèse, you showed us how to follow Jesus with complete trust and abandonment. Help us to embrace the radical commitment of discipleship. Give us the courage to put our hand to the plow and keep our eyes fixed on Christ, trusting that he will provide everything we need for the journey.

May we learn from your little way to love without measure and follow without hesitation, knowing that in losing our lives for Christ, we find true life.

Reflection Questions

• What conditions am I placing on my willingness to follow Jesus?
• What securities or comforts am I afraid to let go of?
• How can I live more fully present to God's will, like Saint Thérèse?
• In what ways do I find myself "looking back" instead of moving forward in faith?

Today we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church. Her feast reminds us that holiness is within reach for all of us when we embrace the radical simplicity of complete trust in God.