For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/100307.shtml
In today’s Gospel we see why celibacy has become a valuable discipline within the priestly and religious life of the Church. It was one thing for the first apostles to leave their job and whatever families they had to follow Jesus when He called them, but those called to priesthood and religious life today are asked to leave in the beginning even the possibility of a natural family and other careers in order to enter into formation and to try to follow Jesus with singleness of heart.
Even as a celibate, which disposes one favorably to seeking first the kingdom of God, there are challenges to single-heartedness. It is human nature to constantly compare the life one has been given through a priestly or religious vocation with the life one could have built for himself. If thinking about this ‘fantasy’ life consumes too much energy, the celibate will find themselves full of resentment and self-pity rather than joy and gratitude. In this case, the celibate seeks ways to fulfill his desire for intimacy other than wholehearted service to the family of God.
Singleness of heart is a tremendous gift. Finding the one necessary thing is difficult. Everyday we should remind ourselves to seek first the kingdom of God, and its righteousness, confident that everything else will be given to us besides. If we are always looking to what is left behind, there is no way we can say to Jesus – I will follow you wherever you may go.
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