Jesus Says, "Follow Me"

After talking to an AT&T representative, a recorded voice says, “Please stay on the line for one, simple question.”

“Ummm,” I think to myself. Alright. The voice returns, “If you owned a company, would you hire the person you just spoke to? Press 1 for ‘Yes,’ or 2 for ’No.’”

What an absolutely great way to rate someone. I love that. Jesus loves it too. Instead of asking a question, Jesus gives a mandate, “Follow me.” He doesn’t ask if you want to or not. He smiles at all the excuses we sometimes give him. “Yada, yadda, yadda,” Jesus thinks to himself while we rattle off all the reasons we can’t…

Oh, wait. Reasons? There is nothing reasonable about following him and being a Christian. If you’re only concern is getting to heaven then I guess you have a reason, but I also feel sorry for you. Because you will never know the why of that smile in the eyes of someone receiving assistance from St. Vincent de Paul….listening to stories of past failures with your eyes of hope staring back…volunteering when you could be watching “The Guiding Light”…bringing communion to someone who wanted to be here but can’t…should I list fifteen more examples or do you get the picture?

There’s nothing reasonable about being a Christian. Just because your parents were ones doesn’t make you one. St. Paul calls us, “Fools for Christ,” witnessing in our own day and age, the “folly of the Cross.” A fool doesn’t know why he/she does crazy stuff but a Christian fool does.

In the examples I gave, it was all about doing when a Christian is all about being. By being a Christian, you are empowered to do in the name of Christ; only good, only holy, only worthy of his

father.

I guess in some ways, ours is a reasonable religion. Just ask Thomas Aquinas. But he also points out that without the feeling of Christ within our hearts and souls, it’s all meaningless words and dogmas.

The Blessed Mothers says, “My being proclaims the glory of the Lord.” She doesn’t mention her deeds but we know that her deeds flowed from her inner being, from her soul.

That AT&T gal was rated. Jesus doesn’t rate us with a 1 or 2 press of a button. Jesus says, “Follow me and then watch and see what happens to both your life and the lives of those you touch, in my name.”