Homily for the Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest & Doctor of the Church

In our Gospel passage today, three men said they wanted to accompany Jesus and travel about sharing in His work without reflecting on what it would entail. When He asked them to join him right away, two of them wanted to delay following Him, since they had important tasks to do first. Indeed, burying one's father and saying goodbye to one's family were important matters. However, Jesus wanted them to come immediately, leaving all else behind. 

It is difficult to comprehend how the call of Jesus could be so urgent. Following Him is never an easy choice. He asks for commitment and loyalty even greater than what we owe to our blood relatives. Trying to follow the Gospel earnestly can even put us at odds with those closest to us. Like any other challenging Gospel text, today's Gospel passage must be set within the broader context of Jesus' teaching to love one's neighbor as oneself.+