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Gospel: Matthew 8: 18-22
When Jesus saw a crowd around him,
he gave orders to cross to the other shore.
A scribe approached and said to him,
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
Another of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”
But Jesus answered him, “Follow me,
and let the dead bury their dead.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Saint Augustine is one of the most important theologians the Church has ever known. Once he converted to Catholicism, he proclaimed the Gospel with exceptional clarity and depth.
But prior to his conversion, he lived a storied life. Augustine was known for having many guilty pleasures, one being his love for women.
Around the time of his conversion, he’s famously quoted for saying, “Lord, make me celibate… Just not yet.”
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Augustine knew what was right; he wanted to do the Lord’s will…
… Just not yet.
The same is true for one of the figures in today’s Gospel. “Lord,” this person says, “I will follow you wherever you go…But let me first go and bury my father.”
“Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead,” Jesus says.
Meaning, stop making excuses. You know what is right. Follow me…now.
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In what ways do I make excuses to avoid doing the Lord’s will?
Maybe I’ve put off forgiving someone. I’ve clung to a habit a day too long. I’ve neglected to be charitable, honest, or prayerful.
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“Follow me,” the Lord says.
Not tomorrow.
Today.
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