But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God

1 OCTOBER (Lk 9,57-62)

Jesus does not write a treatise on the demands of discipleship. In three very small sentences he encloses all volumes that have been written orwill be written on the Gospel missionary and his mission of salvation. Jesus wants missionaries entirely dependent on the Father, delivered into his hands, free from any ties with the earth, detached from all conveniences and habits of men. These conditions must be together. If one is missing, the mission might never be lived according to truth.

Today, three men meet with Jesus. Two of them offer themselves for discipleship. A third is called directly by Christ the Lord. The first is presented with clear ideas about the following: “I will follow you wherever you go.” He is willing to follow the Master. However, he does not know how the Master lives. He is entirely dependent on the Father. Nothing comes from his heart, nothing from his own will, nothing from the demands of his body, nothing from his wishes, nothing from his labour and nothing from his fatigue. The Father is his Lord in everything, always and at all times.He has only one nourishment to take: “My food is to do the Father’s will and carry out his works.” He is infinitely less than the birds and foxes. These have a certain human security, a nest and a den. He does not know where to lay his head. Security of the missionary is the Father. He ishis present and his future. He can follow Jesus who chooses the Father as his present and his future and as his all.

The second is Jesus himself who invites him to follow. However, this has a family need. He cannot give himself to Jesus for now because he has to wait for his father to die first. Then he might follow Jesus. First the family obligations and then the service to the Gospel. Jesus turns the priority.The service to the Gospel is the first requirement, before which every other must disappear. Anyone can give burial to a dead. Few instead canbring a man back to life. Few might make his resurrect to the divine life. The proclamation of the Gospel must not be subjected to any requirementof the earth. They all must not be placed in second order, but considered non-existent. For a called by the Lord Jesus the gift of the Gospel to allmen is everything. Other things should not exist. Nothing is compulsory for him. Even this freedom Jesus asks his disciples.

As they 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.” (To him) Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”

The third, like the first, is that he proposes himself to Jesus. He wants to follow, but first there is a human convenience to be met. He needs to greet thoseof his own house. Even in this other case Jesus is firm, steadfast and clear. You must not waste time in human conveniences, which are often endless.One of it comes once a day. never might one be at the service of the Gospel whoever pursues these things. The freedom of missionary must be full, from everything and everyone, for the present and for the future. For him, only the Gospel must exist. Other things are of inconvenience. They slow down, obstruct and impede the journey of the Word. They deprive a man of the essential thing. They deny him true salvation.

Never might who decided to go behind Jesus chase himself. Never lull dreams and aspirations. Never cultivate personal interests. Never seek somehuman success. Never aspire to earthly glory. Never foment intrigues to have this or that place, this or that other office. He belongs to the Gospel, no longer to himself. He is of the Word and of no one else. He is God’s, no more of his father and mother. He stripped to clothe himself only of divine will.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints help us serve the Gospel.