Thoughts for the Day

As they were going along the road, someone said to Jesus, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus[a] said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’

Thoughts

I have been trying to work out how many houses I have lived in during my lifetime, and I think it's about 37 (with at least five moves before the age of five), but I can't be actually certain. With a father in the Army, I and then my husband in the RAF this increased the list, though to be fair we have also moved with my work as a priest to the Dioceses of Gloucester, Worcester, St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, and Carlisle before retirement. The longest I have ever stayed was in Pembrokeshire! They say a "rolling stone gathers no moss", however I would argue that I have certainly gathered plenty of "stuff"! Each move I threw out, but there was always more to get rid of at the next move.

Jesus says effectively to those who want to follow him, you can't stand still, you must keep moving for the news of God's kingdom must be spread. Jesus himself will have no rest until he has completed his work.

As Christians we need to sit light to this life, not get cluttered with belongings - in this case what we might call old habits and customs, the equivalent of "I've always sat in this pew at church, and now someone else has taken it!". We are called to be spiritually fleet of foot, continually learning and growing as Christians, and throwing out old and unworthy attitudes. Not easy, but with God's help we can do it!

Lord Jesus Christ,
You called Your disciples
to keep moving as Your followers,
and You call us to keep growing in faith.
May we not get cluttered by unworthy attitudes,
or by spiritual laziness,
but keep moving onward
towards our heavenly home.
Amen.