WHEREVER JESUS GOES - 6/27/22 (Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time)

Matthew 8:18-20

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.” 

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062722.cfm

For more information on the Optional Memorial of St. Cyril of Alexandria, click here:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/june-27---saint-cyril-of-alexandria-bishop-and-doctor/

For the examination of conscience and guide to confession, click here:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Blessed Monday! Usually, Jesus used the examples of Pharisees and scribes when He was pertaining to the sin of pride. In today's gospel reading, a scribe seemed to be more genuine in his desire to be a follower of our Lord unlike His opponents. He wants us to follow Him for us to know the truth. However, we should not expect many challenges and obstacles that will strengthen and purify us if we have a genuine desire to really follow Jesus. The scribe said that he was willing to go wherever Jesus went. But, did the scribe really understand his words? 

Although the intention of the scribe was better than the Pharisees and other scribes, it was still tainted by pride. Perhaps, the scribe wanted some security or comfort in becoming His disciple. But, Jesus clarified to him that the Son of Man had no place to rest. It's not easy to be His followers, and we will experience what He experienced as well. Where did Jesus go in His ministry? He went to people who would always oppose and mock Him. He went to those who wanted to trap Him and kill Him. As we all knew, He went to the Cross to offer Himself as a sacrifice to the Father. 

Should we be willing to go wherever Jesus goes? The answer should be "yes" because if we do it, we can also be with Him in heaven. However, it's important for us to reflect on how pride taints our intentions of serving Jesus. We should always follow Him, even in our everyday lives such as our work or studies. What if our work did not go the way we wanted it to happen? What if we meet someone who opposes us or criticizes us as we are working? It may be the case that some of us will be frustrated. But, a humble soul will accept these obstacles with peace because he wants to follow Jesus wherever He is. It means that we recognize that God is with us, even in our sufferings, and this should motivate us to bear the crosses in our daily lives. 

What if we are in our own homes, and we become lazy in doing the chores or studying? Should we just prioritize our social media or games instead of doing the more important tasks at hand? Even in these simple tasks, we are being asked by the Lord whether we really want to follow Him. God is pleased to see the zeal in our hearts. At the same time, He is also looking if we have that same fire in serving Him in our ordinary works. When Jesus answered the scribe, our Lord was not pushing him away from Him. Rather, He was inviting the scribe to a deeper commitment with Him in every moment of his life. We are also invited by the Lord to be committed to Him throughout our whole lives. Even if there are many difficulties, following our Lord is what will give us true and everlasting happiness. 

On our own, it's extremely difficult to bear the big and small crosses in our lives. But, our Lord Jesus is telling us to depend on Him because He will bring us to wherever He is. To be more aware of the presence of God, it's important for us to say a prayer, even short ones, before we work, do a chore or start a study. It is also pleasing to the Lord for us to pray a "Hail Mary" before our activities. If our activity requires a long time, we can make short pauses to give thanks to the Lord for the progress and to ask for the graces that we need. When we feel pain, frustration and other things, Jesus is with us in our sufferings, and He wants to listen to our feelings and thoughts. Our work should begin with inspiration from God, so that we can reach its completion with Him. He will give us His Spirit as we put our trust in Him in our prayers. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic