Q. In Matthew 8:21–22, it says that “another of the disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me go first and bury my father.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.’” What does this mean? — G.P., Fla. A. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible explains the passage this way: “Discipleship is based on the imitation of Christ (11:29). Unlike the Apostles, who left their occupations and families (4:19, 22; 9:9), this would-be follower of Jesus is hesitant to embrace the demanding call (8:21). Bury their own dead: Burial was a sacred duty in ancient Judaism (Gen. 50:5; Tob. 4:3–4). Jesus singles out the custom to emphasize the greater importance of discipleship. Allegiance to Jesus must outweigh even family commitments (10:37; 19:29; Luke 14:26). Those who are spiritually dead (i.e., clinging to worldly concerns) can bury the physically dead. Jesus does not thereby undermine the propriety of burial but uses it as a stepping-stone to illustrate the higher demands of the Christian