Can you feel the shift and the rush in today’s gospel passage? Beginning with today’s passage the movement in Luke’s gospel makes a major change. The evangelist tells us that “the days for Jesus’ being taken up were fulfilled.” The scene is set for Jesus to be “taken up.” Jerusalem is 2700 feet above sea level so, Jesus has to climb the Judean mountains to get to the holy city. Today Jesus begins his journey “up to Jerusalem.” There is another meaning to Jesus’ being “taken up.” In Jerusalem he will suffer his passion, be “lifted up” on the cross, resurrected and then ascend — be “taken up” — to his Father.
The gospel account echoes our first reading because the prophet Elijah was taken up (2 Kings 2:11). There is another allusion in this passage to the prophet: when James and John suggest Jesus rain down fire on the Samaritans for not welcoming him and his disciples. Elijah called down fire when Israel’s enemies approached the prophet (2 Kings 1:10). But raining down fire is not Jesus’ way of treating enemies. He rebukes the disciples’ violent suggestion to destroy the Samaritan village. It is a good thing he does, because after Jesus was “taken up” and the messianic activity of the church began, Samaria was the first non-Jewish region to be converted to Christianity.
Since Jews and Samaritans were enemies, Jesus’ journey through Samaria was unusual. Usually Jews avoided passing through Samaria on their way to Jerusalem. In John’s Gospel Jesus has a long dialogue with the Samaritan woman (4:4-41). Jesus does not reject anyone, even “enemies of the state,” or religious heretics. His disciples will need to do the same.
Luke tells us Jesus “resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.” Luke is beginning a narrative of a nine-chapter ministry, with Jerusalem as its final destination. Even prior to his encounter with the three potential disciples, by his being constantly on the move, Jesus is teaching us about discipleship. Followers of Jesus will have to be flexible, willing to change and make a commitment to him.
The disciple must be willing to put everything else aside. Sitting still and choosing comfort and stability will not do for a disciple of Jesus. He is on the move and we must be willing to follow. Have you noticed all the action words in this reading? — journey, sent, entered, on the way, proceeding, follow, etc. Discipleship requires action.
The requirements for discipleship are illustrated in the three encounters Jesus has as he sets out. He does not soft-pedal what’s required to be a disciple. If someone responds to his invitation there will be bumps on the road. James and John are already experiencing some of those bumbs as they face the rejection of the Samaritan village. They had just begun the journey with Jesus to Jerusalem and already they are meeting opposition. Jesus could also have said to the one who calls out, “I will follow you wherever you go” — “Have you noticed the rejection by the Samaritan village? Are you prepared to suffer the same rejection for my sake?” Instead, he put it this way, “…the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” He could have added, “Nor will you if you follow me.”
Does a disciple really want to follow a leader who will be rejected, not crowned, when he gets to Jerusalem? A similar question could be put to us. Do we want to be associated with one who offers us salvation by asking us to give up our lives in service to others? Are we willing to give up our needs for comfort to meet the demands of discipleship? Today Jesus offers us an opportunity to reflect on the kind of response we have made to his invitation to follow him. How many compromises have we made? How much have we put off to do to a later date?
Jesus’ response to the second would-be follower sounds harsh. He is not denying one’s obligations to parents and family. But Jesus is on the move and has only a moment to respond to the man who wants to go and bury his father. It isn’t that the father has just died, but the man wants to go and finish things at home. When his parents have died he will be free to leave and follow Jesus. But following Jesus is about life, not death. He invites us into a new family and life-giving relationships. Whatever is robbing us of life, or holding us back, must be left behind.
Family ties were very strong in Jesus’ world and responsibilities to one’s family could hold one back from a quick response to someone who offers an invitation while on the move, “Follow me.” The follower of Jesus has a new family. Earlier he had said, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act upon it” (8:21). Just as he did then, he is doing now. He extends an invitation to us, “Follow me.” Do we hear the word of God in that invitation and are we ready to act on it? If we do, we are Jesus’ mother and brothers and sisters.
The journey to Jerusalem has just started and questions about discipleship have already arisen. What is required of us if we want to be a disciple? It’s clear this journey following Jesus, which comes at the beginning of summer for us, isn’t about a vacation trip; a visit to friends and family and then a return to the comfort of home and familiar surroundings.
There is no turning back once we accept Jesus’ invitation. There is no home and the accustomed to return to. Nor is there a map on MapQuest to show us the easiest way to get where we are going. We are not following some map. We are following our guide, who has made the trip before us and asks us to trust him — only he knows the way.
So much has changed in our lives. Following Jesus always requires a renewed commitment. Today’s gospel gives us pause before we make the decision again to follow him. As Jesus heads towards Jerusalem we will see that following him is not for the faint of heart. We will watch the initial enthusiasm of the crowds fade and hostility by the religious establishment grow. Eventually he will be put to death. He is inviting us to follow him and proclaim something different to the world — a reign of justice, love, forgiveness, and mercy.
Who can do that? On our own we can’t, but we’re not alone on this journey, we are accompanied by Jesus and this community of faith. When we stumble, lose our way, or get disheartened, one of the travelers with us will be there to support us and help us along the way — Christ’s way.