We all have them-- excuses for why we're not closer to Christ, why our Christian walk isn't what we know it should be, why we know what to do and still don't do it (as St. Paul said). Sometimes they sound pretty good. But are they real, genuine, correct, or are we just fooling ourselves? We see a bit of the second kind in today's Gospel (Mt 8: 18- 22) in the case of the man who says he will follow Jesus, but first he has to go and bury his father. That sounds compelling, doesn't it? Certainly Jesus would agree that the man can't just leave his dead father and follow Jesus without giving the father a proper burial. But is that what is going on here? Remember that the Jews buried people quite quickly, as soon as possible after they died. That's why they hurried to get Jesus into a tomb after He died on the cross. So what is the man really saying? Did his father just die that day? If so, is the man really out talking to Jesus? Wouldn't he be with family grieving his father? I think it is more likely that the man is saying he needs to wait until his father dies, at some unknown time in the future, and then he will follow Jesus. It could be months or years or many years. Perhaps that is why Jesus' response is so harsh-- "let the dead bury the dead." Jesus realizes the man is just giving an excuse-- and probably an insincere one at that-- for not following Jesus right away. So what's our excuse? Not enought time? Make some-- reset your priorities. Sin gets in the way? Pray more and ask for forgiveness. Don't know how? Educate yourself. Follow the great saints. Read some Christian literature and subscribe to some Christian podcasts. Our excuses can be just cop-outs for not admitting that we really don't want to follow Jesus. Don't let that happen.