There is a saying that when times are good, there are many people around you. Why? You have something that they want – it could be money, it could be fame, it could be power. Then when you hit rock bottom in life, they are nowhere to be found.

In the Gospel, there were people who wanted to follow Christ and there were people that Christ called. Either way, Jesus tells them three  realities of the calling:  

1. Follow Jesus. Who do we follow in this life? What do we follow in life? A true Christian follows only Jesus. Jesus once said that we cannot have two masters. We are going to love one and despise the other. 
   
2. Uncertainty. “The Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” When we apply for a job, we more or less know what to expect, what the benefits are, what the job is, and who we will be dealing with. When one follows Christ, expect the unexpected.
   
3. Priority. “Let the dead bury the dead.” We can do so many things in life. Some can be very important. Yet, Jesus reminds us that the priority would always have to be God. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”

I came across a story of a woman who was about to quit going to Mass and she gave three reasons why:

• the Church is full of gossip
• the Church is full of hypocrites
• the Church is used as a social club.

The priest said, “Before you do that, I want you to do one favor. Go around the Church twice with a full glass of water on your hand. Then come back to me”. After the lady did what the priest had told her, he asked her, “First, did you see gossiping? Second, did you see the hypocrites? Third, did you see the social climbers?” To all these, she answered no and she explained to the priest that she was busy focusing on the glass of water. The priest said, “There is your answer. Focus on Jesus and follow him and you won’t see the gossip, the hypocrites, and the social climbers”.