Monday 30 June 2025 - Life as a disciple

Monday 30 June 2025

Today is Monday the 30th of June, in the 13th week of Ordinary Time. Jon Guerra sings, ‘Take Up Your Cross’. If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me Whoever would save his life Will lose it Whoever loses his life for me Will find it If anyone claims to worship God Let him give all away Take up his cross Follow me Whoever would save his life Will lose it Whoever loses his life for me Will find it What would it profit a man If he gains the whole world And forfeits his soul What would it profit a man at all What would it profit a man If he dies with a barn full of silver and gold What would it profit a man at all If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 8:18-22 Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. A scribe then approached and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Another of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.’ How inviting might the life of a follower of Jesus have been, do you think?  In today’s passage, we hear two very human responses to the demands of being a disciple of Jesus.  One impulsive.  Another cautious.  Notice the responses Jesus makes... to one a warning, a reality check; to the other a blunt retort.  Notice your reaction. How would you describe your own life as a disciple?  Compelling?  Very ordinary?  Exciting? Costly? Listen to the passage again and imagine a conversation you might have with each speaker: the scribe who promises to follow Jesus wherever he’ll go; the disciple with family commitments on his mind. Matthew 8:18-22 Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. A scribe then approached and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Another of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.’ In these closing moments bring your attention to speaking with Jesus about your own response to following Him.  You can bring your true, vulnerable self to the conversation.  You can ask for courage. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen