What is a disciple of Jesus? A disciple a student and one who follows him. Jesus invites us to follow him and tells us his yoke is easy, and his burden is light.
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
But it can also be demanding to follow Jesus as we hear in today’s Gospel as two would-be disciples approach Jesus:
Disciple: “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus: “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
Disciple: “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”
Jesus: “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”
Jesus’ demands are not meant to be taken in a literal sense, but he purposely uses shocking langue to help us to realize the cost of discipleship. It means God’s will and way must come before all, even my “gut reaction” or “first impulse.” Recall the words of the Our Father, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The Kingdom of God is present whenever God’s will is done. Jesus’ central message is the Kingdom is at hand. This presence of God in the world and in our life calls for a personal response on my part:
“After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: ‘This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” (Mark 1:14-15)
We are called to “repent” to turn to God and to follow his will each day. A disciple is a student, and Jesus has just finished teaching us God’s will and way in his Sermon on the Mount.
“When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit…’” (5:1-3).
“When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” (7:28-29)
In today’s Gospel renews his call to follow him and puts before us the cost of following him. It means that not my will, but God’s will comes first. This is Jesus’ prayer for himself and for all of us: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39).
Image: “6 – Musée du Louvre – Frans Pourbus le Jeune, La Sainte Cène ou Le Dernier Repas de Jésus-Christ avec ses disciples, Huile sur toile, 1618 – Détail” by melina1965 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.