Wednesday – St. Therese Lisieux

Gospel – Luke 9:57-62

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Church of Dormition, Jerusalem

Given all the streaming services available these days – Prime, Peacock, Netflix, Tubi, you name it – it boggles the mind all the shows available to watch (and binge). So many options, so little time!  Sometimes it makes me long for the good old days of just 3-5 channels and no option other than watch it live.  It reminds me too of some of my favorite shows from my childhood – all the westerns and classic comedies and all the non-stop cartoons on Saturday morning.  Waxing a bit nostalgic!!!!

Jesus almost seems nostalgic in today’s Gospel.  Everyone else has a home, a place to lay their head and He does not.  It’s as if He is looking back, as we are, to those days when life was normal, simpler, calmer.  A life in Nazareth with His parents, a home, family time!

But life has changed!  Priorities have changed!  And His mission moves forward.  It may sound insensitive for Him to remark that the dead should bury the dead.  But He is making a point – don’t dwell on the past; don’t live in the past.  Boy, that is something I need to work on!  The Mission continues and we must move forward!  We are all tasked with this Mission to spread the Word.  It doesn’t mean we abandon our past or our roots, but we are called to set priorities, to focus on being disciples!

Jesus moves forward to Jerusalem.  It is a very spiritual, but also a very physical journey!   But not all of us are called to that physical journey; not all of us will be traveling to other towns or even countries to spread the Word.  Many of us are called to spread the Word right where we are and with the people we interact with on a daily basis, to share the Gospel message simply in our words and actions, in how we treat each other day in and day out.

And some of us are called to a more spiritual journey, living our lives in prayer and contemplation, like St. Therese of Lisieux whose feast we celebrate today.  Her journey was a spiritual one, offering her prayers for the salvation of souls and the growth of the Church. We are all on a journey; we are all called to share the Good News, sometimes in our dealings with others, sometimes in our prayer and meditation.  May we all find strength for the journey!

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