There is a great scene from the musical Fiddler on the Roof, which is a play about a Jewish family living in Russia in 1905. The author, Joseph Stein, tells the story of Tevye, who is attempting to raise his five daughters within a changing a society while maintaining his religious and cultural traditions.
Several years ago I had a conversation with a person at one of South Bend’s emergency homeless shelters. He told me that he was “getting too old for this,” and then proceeded to tell me what led to his homelessness this time. After hearing his story, I felt sorry for him and thought he would probably always be in a situation that would require assistance from one charitable organizations or another.
Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God has claimed us. We belong to God, and no one can change that. However, discipleship is not an easy journey. The teachings of Jesus indicate that following him can be challenging.