Luke 9:57-62

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey, someone said to him,
“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.”
And to another he said, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”
But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”
And another said, “I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home.”
Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.

Oratio (Responding)

Why, this is a strange expression. Maybe a better expression for modern ears would be “nobody gets on the freeway at 80mph and looks behind him for what was left behind.” The expression simply means this. If you are looking behind it will be impossible to plow or drive in a straight line before you. It is assured, that you will veer to one side or another. In plowing this means that you might have to redo your rows, but in driving on the freeway, it could be deadly.

But in trying to make it into the kingdom, it is impossible. I think that this reading, and this teaching is about regret, or holding onto the past. The past is behind you, you cannot change it, so you must not obsess on it. The future is unknown, and so you must not pine for it. All you have any control over is right now. One foot in front of another. You have a choice between doing good or evil, right or wrong, and between making the best of this moment, or wasting it on useless or sinful things.

What will you choose? How will you make this day, this moment the best it can be. The past and the future, is a trap. And the evil one wants you to get stuck there, because if you are stuck you are not making a positive change in your life. So dont get stuck, forgive the past, hope for the future, and make most out of today.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)