Without Illusions and Delay!

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Job 9: 1-12, 14-16; Lk 9:57-62

Today’s Gospel highlights that discipleship cannot afford illusions or delay. 

In total, three people want to follow Jesus. Surprisingly, to the first one, Jesus recommends careful evaluation. To the other two, he recommends immediacy. In other words, Jesus explains that discipleship must follow clear discernment in the first instance. However, in the second, he recommends immediacy once the decision has been made.

When Jesus recommends discernment to the first person who wants to follow him, the Lord wants him to know that following him would only mean a life without guarantees. Invoking the examples of foxholes and bird nests, Jesus means to say that his disciples cannot even presume upon such basic security. Hence, Jesus wishes that our decision must be fully informed and totally voluntary without any illusions of comfort, security, or recognition. 

Likewise, Jesus recommends immediacy and urgency to two other people who want to follow him. Though their requests, like burying the father and bidding farewell to the family, are very reasonable, Jesus emphasises the absolute priority and urgency of the Kingdom of God. In this way, Jesus cautions against postponement and undivided commitment, respectively. In Jesus’ view, there is no ideal time to follow him, and therefore, the right time to follow him is ‘now.’

In sum, while Jesus discourages impulsive decisions, he also wants us to act immediately once we have discerned our vocation. Here, Jesus advocates the median between rashness and delay. Thus, for Jesus, discipleship is a calculated move towards a selfless life and boundless love. And the Lord also wishes that we do not postpone such a good decision endlessly. We have to act with calculation but immediately. 

Let us pray that we may discern our vocation but act with the immediacy and urgency that the Kingdom of God requires. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar