June 30, 2025 // Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 8:18-22
Reflect on the Word //
Prickles dancing across my skin, I jumped in place one chilly morning waiting for the starting whistle. Cheers and whoops erupted around me as my fellow runners counted down the minutes until our pace group crossed the starting line. I had trained, I had prepared, and I was ready to tackle this half-marathon. The streets in the downtown area were cleared of traffic and blockades were propped up along intersections. Neighbors along the race route set up folding chairs and cheered on the runners with posters, music, and encouragement. I made my way through the race route with volunteers passing out water, police directing traffic, and spectators waving their signs.
As I ran through the course, I noted there were areas throughout the downtown route that remained uncleared. Tents, RVs, and makeshift shelters were dotted along the course. Multiple individuals experiencing homelessness were huddled trying to keep warm and appeared oblivious to the thousands of runners moving past their encampments. There were crowds celebrating this accomplishment but there was deep suffering too. Jesus had nowhere to rest His head and neither did these community members.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus told the scribe to follow Him (see Matthew 8:22). Our life as His disciples is like the race course I ran—marked, measured, and mapped, yet with obstacles throughout. There were hills that went straight up and there were bumps and holes. The road was tough, but I was not alone. I imagined the path ahead, with rough terrain, peaks and valleys, and exhaustion. Jesus gave His orders to “cross to the other side” (Matthew 8:18) and follow.
“The Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head” (Matthew 8:20), but that is not true of us. There are obstacles, evidence of our own mortality, and hills to climb. But alone and without rest, we are not. We are accompanied by Jesus and are asked to be His followers. Jesus does not tell us the road ahead is easy but we are told to follow anyway. Have faith that He will mark the path for you to travel and provide you the rest you need in His love.
Relate to the Lord // Where is Jesus calling you to follow Him?
Dr. Samantha Aguinaldo-Wetterholm is a wife and mom to four little ones and practices dentistry at a public health community center for low income families in the Bay Area, California. She (unashamedly) thinks ice cream is its own food group and does not leave the house without wearing sparkly earrings. She was a contributing author to All She Had. and our children’s devotional prayer book called Rise Up. Find out more about her here.
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