Jesus, when he calls his Apostles, tells them that in order to be free to follow him, they must leave home. Does that mean to be a true disciple of Jesus we need to become a religious? I think not. What I think Jesus was referring to is that to be a true follower, we need to be willing to receive life’s meaning from a different source. This source of life will not come from the inadequacies or the advantages of “home” in all that it entails. Freed from living up to the expectations of our family or our culture, we could then be able to freely choose to follow our true calling in life.
It is not easy to let go. In fact, we will find ourselves reverting back to what we have experienced in our formative years. But now we have the opportunity to really embrace the life that will make us not only satisfied but potentially extremely happy. This does not mean that there will not be challenges. Besides promising a hundredfold in this life and the next, Jesus also says we will experience the cross as he did. It seems at times that “no good deed goes unpunished.” All will be put in perspective with the arrival at our new home by the indwelling of God into our hearts.
- Do you often think about the advantages and the disadvantages of your formative years?
- What helps you realize that you are a “big girl or big boy” now?
- Are you able to find a home in the love that Christ has for you?
O God, help me find my new home in you.