Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hope

All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of adding a second, a third, and perhaps a fourth step in a continuous line. Many a man had taken the first step. With every additional step you enhance immensely the value of your first. - Ralph Waldo Emerson: (1803 – 1882) American essayist, lecturer, and poet

Gospel Text: (Lk 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.”

So, in today’s gospel, when Jesus goes out looking for followers, he is looking for that same strong dedication.  He knows the power of commitment.

Commitment clarifies who we are.  We forge our identity by naming our values.  Our commitment then excites others and brings them aboard.  Together we become a band of stickers and fighters.  Our attention is centered.

It has been wisely noted that little people have wishes, while great people have a purpose.  What greater purpose can there be than serving God and God’s people?  Jesus asks us to pursue that purpose with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, and all our bodies, with our chins facing the wind, our eyes never looking back.

Few of us face stark choices in responding to Jesus’ call in our lives.  We follow Him while doing other good things, too, like caring for our families and making a living.  We are multitaskers, it seems.  But in our multitasking, we may need to pause and gain a sense in which we are really following Jesus, rather than being carried along, even by good things and duties.

Part of the inner peace Jesus promises us does not depend upon success, but comes from having a meaningful purpose and knowing we gave it our best.  That’s what he did.  “Come,” he says, “choose to follow me and share in my joy.”