MEMORIAL OF ST THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS, WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY-SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, OCTOBER 1, 2025.

MASS READINGS:

Gospel

Luke 9:57-62

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." 

REFLECTION

"I will follow you wherever you go."

Growing up, the rule was that whatever we joined—choir, sports, piano, academics and so forth we stayed committed. No turning back because there was someone better than me, no less than 100% participation even though I did not like the coach or teacher. If we signed up, we were expected to do the best that we could. Mind you, there were times that the piano teacher asked my mother to pull me out, or the coach left me on the bench or the swim team had to wait til I finished swimming the length of the pool. Though I did not have the same talents as others, I was expected to finish with my commitment. Therefore we choice well what we wanted to participate in and we understood what was required of us.

If we want to accompany Jesus we must commit to follow His way and imitate Him. Observe how He lived and then tag along. Following Christ requires detachment, leaving behind material goods and living in Christian poverty. He was kind and generous, renounced comfort, detached from material things and abandoned Himself to His Father’s Divine Will.

St Therese said, “My vocation is love. In the heart of the Church, my Mother, I will be Love.” The Lord alone was her guide. She was committed to devote her life to God. Many rejected Jesus and many others told Him they wanted to follow Him but first had to take care of their farms, parents, or other more pressing commitments.

Do we want to live in the same spirit as the Lord? Use our material goods as a means and not an end in themselves. Do not attach to people or places, or things that can impede our progress to the Lord.

If we are to follow Jesus, we have to imitate His life.

God Bless You.