Homily for the Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi

In today's Gospel passage, three men wished to join Jesus and travel about sharing in His work without reflecting on what it would entail. When He asked them to join him immediately, two wanted to delay following Him since they had important tasks to do first. Clearly, burying one's father and saying goodbye to one's family were important matters. However, Jesus wanted them to come immediately, leaving all else behind.

It is difficult to understand how the call of Jesus could be so urgent. Following Him is always a challenging choice. He asks for commitment and loyalty even greater than what we owe our relatives. Trying to follow the Gospel earnestly can even put us at odds with those closest to us. Like any other challenging Gospel text, today's passage must be set within the broader context of Jesus' teaching to love one's neighbor as oneself and put God above all else.