Homily for the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus

In today's Gospel passage, three men expressed a desire to join Jesus and accompany Him in His work without considering the implications of such a commitment. When Jesus invited them to follow Him immediately, two of them wanted to postpone their decision, citing important responsibilities they needed to attend to first. They felt burying a father and bidding farewell to family were significant matters. However, Jesus emphasized the urgency of following Him, asking them to leave everything else behind.

It can be difficult to grasp why Jesus' call felt so urgent. Choosing to follow Him is always a challenging decision, as He demands a level of commitment and loyalty that surpasses what we owe to our family members. Striving to live according to the Gospel can sometimes put us at odds with those we are closest to. Like other challenging passages in the Bible, today's reading must be understood in the broader context of Jesus' teachings, which emphasize loving our neighbors as ourselves and prioritizing our relationship with God above all else.