The Gospel Reading this week reminds me of the song ‘I will follow you’, recently made popular through the film ‘Sister Act’. The film version lyrics are: “I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go. There isn't an ocean too deep or mountain so high it can keep, keep me away. I must follow him. Ever since he touched my hand I knew that near him I always must be, and nothing can keep him from me, He is my destiny.” Many modern worship songs follow similar themes. 

Sometimes they are inspiring, and sometimes they are too gooey. Critics might say that the serious business of following Jesus is reduced to the level of a teenage crush. But Jesus’ call to us to follow him is serious and demanding, and we have to consider what might motivate us to make such a deep commitment. It is commendable if our decision to follow Jesus is purely based on the power of his manifesto. 

The call to put God first, to love our neighbour as ourselves, to be firmly and actively opposed to all forms of abuse of power, and to pursue the path of love, forgiveness, understanding and compassion is truly inspiring, but is it enough? Has any movement ever been able to create truly dedicated followers just on the power of the message without some connection, admiration and loyalty to the founder of the movement? Now there’s something to debate! If we were to look at the way the first apostles committed themselves to Jesus, we would see that there is always that moment when a face to face encounter with Jesus clinches the commitment. Remember Thomas meeting the risen Lord. Remember Peter being forgiven. 

Remember Mary Magdalene meeting Jesus outside the empty tomb. Remember Paul on the way to Damascus. Similarly, we are invited to meet Jesus – to have that spiritual moment when we sense we are in his presence. And yes, the encounter does not just engage our rational faculties, but it also stirs our emotions. We look for that moment when we not only embrace Jesus’ message but also, as the song says, we are awakened to say ‘He is my destiny’.