Following is not always easy.  Well, that’s not exactly correct.  In my experience, the idea of following (something or someone) often seems pretty easy when it’s purely hypothetical, when it’s something that probably won’t actually be demanded or expected of us.  And so, many of us probably consider ourselves to be pretty good followers.  Yet, in reality, when we actually HAVE to go down a path not of OUR choosing, many of us are probably a lot worse at it than we would like to admit.  

Of course, it also depends on what sort of “following” we are talking about.  Following our parents through a crowded store or mall?  Pretty easy.  Following the rules of some game or athletic contest?  Also, pretty easy.  Following all sorts of procedures and guidelines (and maybe even laws) at our place of work?  Somewhat more challenging.  Following orders from a superior on the battlefield?  About as hard as it gets. 

When we are being asked to follow something or someone our responses can be varied.  Sometimes we simply refuse, and if possible, “run the other way” if what we’re being asked to do is too scary or difficult.  Sometimes we simply stand our ground and procrastinate. 

Sometimes we follow reluctantly, with our hearts not really in it.  And sometimes we follow willingly, gladly, enthusiastically --- confident that whatever or whomever we are following is the absolute best choice we can make.

In one particular area of our lives this is quite evident.  Of course, I’m talking about our spiritual lives --- following (or not following) wherever our God is trying to lead us, whatever our God is calling us to do and to be.  Now, I’m not saying that figuring out what God is asking of each of us is easy, or necessarily always clear.  It’s not.  Sometimes God’s call seems more like a slight tipping of the scales rather than absolute knowledge as to his wishes and desires and demands. 

And so we often find ourselves feeling in ways that make us think things such as, “I think God might want me to do this,” or “I’m feeling guilty about something I’ve done and I wonder if that’s God trying to get me to make the situation right,” or “I think God is trying to tell me that the relationship I am in is not good for me,” or “I’m starting to feel like I need to be more generous with my time, talent and treasure. In these situations, all God asks is that we don’t ignore the voice within, don’t disregard the nudge we feel, and just try to make the best decision we can --- trusting that, in the process, we are doing the right thing.

Yet, other times the voice is a little stronger, the call a little clearer.  Many stories in Scripture present situations just like that. 

We just heard two of them today --- with two very different responses.  The Gospel passage from Mark depicts the calling of Simon, Andrew, James, and John.  And Mark doesn’t give us many details.  He simply tells us that they abandoned their nets and began following Jesus.  And while we don’t really know what was in each of their hearts at that very moment, one thing seems pretty clear ---- they were confident that following Jesus was the right thing to do --- so much so that they were able to put their justifiable doubts or fears aside, were able to put more importance on the wishes of Jesus than on any of their individual wishes.  And that took courage!

We saw a different response in our First Reading.  Well, truthfully we didn’t exactly get to hear it because today’s passage only shows us what Jonah EVENTUALLY did.  It doesn’t tell us what happened before. 

If you remember, when God first asked Jonah to go to Nineveh to announce God’s warning to the people there --- Jonah actually ran the opposite way, jumped on a boat, and, well, you know the rest of the story.  Jonah had heard God’s request and wanted absolutely no part of it.  That didn’t work out so well for him.

I wonder sometimes why we make the choices we make, why we sometimes do the right thing and sometimes do the wrong thing, sometimes listen to God and respond in faith and sometimes listen to God and act as if we hadn’t heard at all. 

My guess is there are lots of reasons for this, and no one simple answer will suffice.  But I do believe there is one thing that has a substantial impact on our ability (or lack thereof) to say “yes” to God and to follow where he leads.  And it has to do what we heard in the Second Reading where St. Paul tells us,

“For the world in its present form is passing away.”

So often we fail to respond to God’s invitation, fail to follow wherever he leads because there is always something that seems a little “better”, something that is a little more “attractive” or “easier” or “more comfortable” or “less scary”.  And in a certain sense we make these choices because they seem to “protect” things we want to “protect”. 

Some of us do all we can to protect our free time or hobbies --- rarely volunteering to help.  Some of us protect our financial resources at all costs --- always finding reasons and excuses to not be generous.  Some of us try our best to protect our relationships and friendships (in an unhealthy way) --- and fall into patterns of neediness and jealousy. 

Some of us do what we can to protect our egos --- and so we spread negative gossip and put others down in the hope that we will look better as a result.  The list could go on and on. 

Yes, we do like to protect all sorts of things --- even if God might be challenging us to let go of controlling those very things - “For the world in its present form is passing away.”

And I think we sometimes disregard God’s voice or run from it because we forget that all these seemingly “important” things, these things we want to “protect”, aren’t really worth protecting.  And it’s because they are fleeting, --- things that will not last and should not last and cannot last --- things that make absolutely no difference in the big picture, have no chance of mattering or lasting into eternity.

And too often we forget that.

And so we chase earthly things not worth chasing.  We put our trust in things and people not worth trusting.  We hope for things that won’t bring about the result we desire.  And we cling to things that turn the tables and wind up possessing us. 

And God keeps inviting us to be so much more --- to take his hand and follow --- not reluctantly, not fearfully, but faithfully, courageously and joyfully. 

But this can’t happen if we don’t know the difference between the things that will pass away and the things that last, the things that are only of this world and the things that will live on in eternity.

Here at St. Agnes, we would be wise in following the faith and courage of our young patron.  She was killed for her faith and her desire to dedicate her love to Jesus.  St. Agnes was successful in living for  eternity and not this world. 

We can follow her example and rely on her intercession as we strive to do our very best to keep our hearts and minds and eyes focused on the world that is to come.  In the Eucharist we find the wisdom to be good disciples, good followers --- faithful companions of our Lord on a journey whose destination is more than we could ever imagine.