Mat 8:18-21
18 When Jesus saw that a curious crowd was growing
by the minute, he told his disciples to get him out of there to the other side
of the lake. 19 As they left, a religion scholar asked if he could go along.
"I'll go with you, wherever," he said. 20 Jesus was curt: "Are
you ready to rough it? We're not staying in the best inns, you know." 21
Another follower said, "Master, excuse me for a couple of days, please. I
have my father's funeral to take care of."
Food for thought
Today's gospel reading is Matthew's version of
yesterday's version from Luke. They all remind us of the importance of the
moment. We have heard the expression, Seize the moment! It means that when
opportunity comes your way, don't hesitate, grab it. This is what happened in
today's gospel reading.
Two men, one was seized by the moment, the other
didn't seize the moment. The first man was undoubtedly seized by the moment;
the man was impressed by Jesus and decided to follow Jesus wherever Jesus would
go. This is not how Jesus recruits his followers.
What does it mean to be seized by the moment?
It means not being able to look beyond, not seeing
any further, not seeing the future, not counting the cost. It means being a
prisoner of the present moment. It means to stagnate with what is happening to
you right now. It means not knowing that the present moment is just now, it is
not forever. What you're undergoing today, will end, will pass away. Be it good
or bad, be it suffering or joy or prosperity, it will come to an end. So, don't
get stuck with the present moment; don't be over excited with the NOW that you
forget the AFTER NOW. This is what Jesus is telling the first man: "Are
you ready to rough it?" Are you ready for the challenges ahead? Have you
counted the cost?
The second man was the opposite. He had the rare
opportunity of following Jesus, and then he remembered his father. It is most
likely that his father was not yet dead, nor was near death. The man was saying
in other words, I can only follow you after my father's death, after fulfilling
my family obligations. Before that, I am not available. The man was saying, in
other words, you're important but not more important than my father. As
long as he lives I cannot follow you. Wait until he dies.
In life there're opportunities that come once,
there're things that happen once. Or you seize them or you lose them. That's
how Jesus is. Don't let old plans get in the way of new opportunities or luck.
Open yourself to chance and don't let the past hold you. Let the dead, the past
pass, embrace the opportunity. There are extraordinary opportunities out there;
look for them, and try to take them. Everything in life is a possibility; it's
just a matter of what you seize on.
Once you seize the new opportunities, don't let
them seize you. Don't let the opportunities you have seized seize you, and
prevent you from further opportunities. Every opportunity should prepare you
for new opportunities; don't get stuck with your success.
See what Jesus did in the gospel reading of today.
When Jesus saw that a curious crowd was growing by the minute, he told his
disciples to get him out of there to the other side of the lake. At the very
moment that everybody was hailing him, at the very moment that he was making
gains and success, Jesus left the scene and went across the lake, away from
everybody, away from old success and for new opportunities.
The good moment to change course, is when all is
good. The good moment to start a new life is not when things are going badly but
when all is going well with you.
"When Jesus saw that a curious crowd was
growing by the minute, he told his disciples to get him out of there to the
other side of the lake."
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