A Daily Gospel Reflection by Dn. Carlos Porras Jr. for October 1st, 2025

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (9:57-62)

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey, someone said to him,
“I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him,
“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
And to another he said, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”
But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”
And another said, “I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home.”
Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

REFLECTION:  In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses three examples, to teach us, that following Him, is a radical call to a new life, requiring a decisive, and undivided heart, willing to sacrifice everything, for the sake of the Gospel, and God’s Kingdom.

There was once, a director at a non-profit organization, helping underprivileged communities, that needed to fill a job opening. The salary paid, significantly less, than a corporate job offers. Three eager, potential, and prospect persons applied, and the director interviewed them, one at a time. The first, an eagerly applicant, tells the nonprofit director, “I’ll follow your mission wherever it takes me!” The director, aware of the challenges, replied, “This work won’t be glamorous; it doesn’t offer a steady foundation like others do”. The second potential employee tells the director, that they want to commit, but first, they need to help their parents, finish a home renovation. The director responded that the mission is urgent, and can’t wait, for personal projects. The third prospect applicant is excited to join, but asks to first, “say a proper goodbye” to their friends, with a long vacation. The director explains, that starting the work, and then looking back to their old comfortable life, isn’t a focused way, to serve.

All three potential, and prospect employees, wanted the job position, but their heart, was not fully committed.  

Sadly, in our consumer-driven society, sometimes we feel as though, Christianity, needs to be something attractive. Interestingly, Jesus doesn’t seem to share, our modern “seeker-friendly” methods. When people wanted to follow Him, He gave them, some pretty stringent conditions. Jesus certainly, didn’t make it easy.

I think the secret, to why He did that, is actually found earlier, in this same chapter of Luke, versus 23–24, where it states, “Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” Over and over, God’s Word teaches us, that our life here is but a breath. We are here today and can be gone tomorrow. But eternity is forever!

On December 12, 2014, I was laid off from work, at a well-known aerospace company. I was in the middle of my third year of Deaconate Formation, a very heavy academic, and spiritually challenging year. My previous job paid six figures annually, and we were very secure. All of the soddened, no steady income, to make our house, car, and medical insurance payments. No idea when I would work again. For six months, I applied for job openings, all over, even out of state. Eight months after my layoff, and being denied, once again for a job opening, I had a feeling, that God had something different ahead for me. It became clear in my heart, that God wanted me to focus, 100% in the Deaconate Formation, and He would take care of the rest. So, I contacted my previous employer and took my retirement. After, 36+ years of employment, plus early Social Security, and, a couple years later Medicare, God took care of me and my family. God had something better, ahead for me. Things have not always been easy, but I can tell you, we have never been in need.

Our heavenly Father is not necessarily promising, homelessness, when He tells us, the Son of man, had no place to lay His head. He just needs to know, that our priorities are straight, our faith is in Him alone, and our focus is on eternity. I do not regret the decision, to following God’s calling to the Deaconate — His blessings, and sense of peace, is priceless.

Today’s teachings from Jesus, are rigid demands for radical, complete discipleship, requiring detachment from material possessions, earthly relationships, and personal comfort. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, a Carmelite nun, who’s memorial we celebrate today, provided for us, a profound way, to follow today’s Gospel. Through her “Little Way,” she modeled, this very radical detachment, by finding holiness in the smallest, most hidden acts of surrender, to God.

Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us, that we may imitate you, and your “Little Way”, to help us be more complete, and true disciples, of Jesus Christ. —Amen.

ACTION FOR THE DAY:  Take time today, to pray to Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, to help you imitate her “Small Ways”. Such as finding joy in the ordinary, serving others with an unselfish heart, and accepting yourself with God’s grace, rather than striving, for grandiose spiritual gestures.  

AUDIO REFLECTION: