Thoughts on Luke 9:51-62

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

with the cross of Jesus going on before!

Christ, the royal Master leads against the foe;

forward in to battle, see his banners go.

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

with the cross of Jesus going on before!

This classic hymn, written by Sabine Baring-Gould for a children’s procession during a school festival in 1865, reminds me of my father, the late Rt. Rev. Leonardo Romero.  I can still hear him singing it with gusto, during many church services throughout his lifetime.  It was his favorite hymn, and probably his anthem, as the founding Primate of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Mexico.

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Although he was an outstanding father to both my brother and myself, his position took a toll on us at times.  We never once doubted his love for us, he was never abusive, and he was an excellent provider for our family.  However, due to his position and as a faithful disciple of Christ, he often had to be away, ministering to the priests and members of the parishes throughout the vast geographical area encompassed by the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Mexico.  So what does my story have to do with today’s gospel?  Well, that it’s not easy being a disciple of Christ.

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In Luke 9:51-62, Jesus traveled to Jerusalem, and encounters three would-be followers on his journey.  However, none of them appeared to be up to his standards.  The first one, who said he’d follow him wherever he went, he disses off with the statement, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.”  He then asks another man to follow him, but the man says he needs to bury his father first.  To which Jesus replies, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”  As to the third man, he wants to follow Jesus, but first he wants to say farewell to those at home.  Well, isn’t that special, so Jesus’s response is, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

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Do you see what I mean when I say that it’s not easy being a disciple of Christ?  Yes, Jesus appears to be harsh to the would-be followers, but he was setting a high standard.  Afterall, he was about to make the ultimate sacrifice on the cross.  Therefore, as a follower of Jesus, my father often placed our family time aside, so that he could tend to the sheep that were placed under his care.  If you're a follower of Jesus, you too must follow his lead, and face the cost of discipleship.  He’s not asking you to give up the joys of life, for the bible gives us examples of joyful occasions, such as the time he spent with Lazarus’ family.  However, following Jesus means that everything becomes secondary to serving the Kingdom of God, sharing the gospel and being living examples of the love of Christ.

The call of Jesus is more urgent than the need to bury our loved ones or saying farewell to our family and friends.  Yes, they should be the most important thing, in terms of human affairs.  However, they should be secondary to the Kingdom of God, which should take priority over everything else.  So, what does this mean to be a disciples of Christ?  No, you don’t have to become a bishop like my father or even a seminarian like me. Remember, all apostles were disciples, but all disciples are not apostles.  What it means is that we need to love our neighbors and make a difference in their lives, even though they may not necessarily look like us, think like us, love like us, speak like us, pray like us, or vote like us.  It means sacrificing our time off to come work at the church, volunteer to do charity work, and spread the Gospel of Christ through our words and our actions.

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It also means being good stewards of our wealth, no matter how meek it may be, to help as many people in need as we can.  For example, we live in one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and as such, we shouldn’t have children living in poverty or treated inhumanely.  Remember the words in Luke 12:48a, “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.”  Therefore, we need to be faithful disciples of Jesus, even if we have to give up some of our precious personal time and resources.  In a sermon I read in preparation for today, it said, “If we feel more secure than foxes and birds, perhaps we are spending too much time burying our dead, chatting with friends, and looking back over the plow.”  Yes, it’s not easy being a disciple of Christ, but our reward as inheritors of the Kingdom of God is priceless.

In closing, I want to leave you with another verse from my father’s favorite hymn which talks about what we need to do as disciples of Christ:

“Like a mighty army moves the Church of God;

Christians, we are treading where the saints have trod;

we are not divided, all one body we,

one in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

with the cross of Jesus going on before!”