Lk 9:51-62
Following Christ is like climbing the highest mountain.
I remember when our community climbed Mt. Apo. We were very interested to climb the highest mountain of the Philippines. We hired a guide to lead us the way to the peak of the mountain.
On the way, I found it so difficult. I was not familiar of the trail. So I had to follow the man ahead of me. I had to look ahead. I didn’t want to be lost. But I was so tired and walked very slow. I was hungry and thirsty on the way. Then, it was raining. The path was muddy and slippery. There was no place to shelter. No place to lie down comfortably. No place to sleep. So difficult!
In my mind I wanted to go back. I wished I could bring much food and water. I wished I could bring some of my favorite heavy stuffs, my CDs, my books and others. I wished I could stay longer in a relaxing place. But I had to move on. I should look ahead and move forward to reach the peak of the mountain.
In today’s Gospel Jesus advices us to “look ahead” and “not back.” The deeper meaning of discipleship, of following Jesus, is to look ahead or to move forward. That’s where Jesus is. And its direction one should move also. To look back means we have yet not let go of the past. We are still living in the past. We long to return. We want to hang on to our negative feelings like our resentment, blame, hate and anger against one another. We want to cling to the memories of the past. We are also attached to things that we can hold - our money, gold, silver and even our fortune, our fame, our power.
Jesus asks to a man who wants to follow him not to return to his home, and even to attend his father’s funeral. It’s an overstatement – but it makes the point that we are pilgrims. We are constantly moving forward. For Jesus, “there’s no place to lay His head” in this world. His true home is found on the other side of time, not in this world. His home is ours. So we have to move forward.
Our journey on earth, as following Jesus, is but a place to pass through. Like climbing the highest mountain let us look ahead and move forward. Don’t let ourselves be stuck by the material things of this world. Don’t let our feelings of blame and anger against one another blocked us. We are not living in the past. They are the baggage in our journey. When we think of the future, we should leave these things behind and let go of our negative feelings.
Let us now fix our eyes on Jesus. Move forward. And let Jesus be our guide in our journey to the Father’s home, our true home.
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