In the first reading today from Amos 2, we read about the mighty power of God. It doesn’t matter how strong a person is. Bottom line is that no one is any match for God. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 8, we hear another saying of Jesus that is difficult to understand.
One of Jesus’ disciples says to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” And Jesus replies, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.” Seems kind of mean, doesn’t it? Aside from the fact that it’s a good thing to do, it was also Jewish law that a man had to bury his father. And Jesus tells him not to? What do we make of this?
Here Jesus is trying to get the point across that following him is a higher calling than anything else. Following Jesus must take precedence over everything else in our lives. If we do not follow Jesus, then we become spiritually dead. Did this man ever go bury his father? The Scriptures don’t tell us. I certainly hope that Jesus allowed him to do that. Burying our dead is an honorable thing to do. But if we’re not following Jesus, we may as well be digging our own grave.
Father, give us the grace to follow Jesus, no matter where He leads. Help us to be always spiritually alive. Amen.
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