XIII Sunday in OT:[C]: I Kg 19, 16-21; Gal 5, 1.13-18; Lk 9, 51-62
On this 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Church encourages us to: “Acclaim Jesus Christ who is more to us than the entire world, and whose Spirit has made us resolve to follow him wherever he leads us.” In the readings of today, one would at a close glance find themes like: Calling, Following Christ, Commitment, etc. All of these point to one central theme – Total Commitment in Serving the Lord.
Eleven year old Yadu disturbed his uncle (a priest) so much about going to spend his next long vacation in his parish. Knowing the solitary nature of the parish house and his busy schedule, his uncle tried to dissuade him but to no avail. Eventually, his uncle caved in to his demand and asked his mother to bring him. Yadu arrived on Friday, spent the weekend, and by Mondaymorning he has packed his bag ready to end his vacation. He went to his uncle and asked him to take him home immediately. His uncle knew his problem. Yadu could not cope with the solitude of the Parish house in spite of the food and TV channels at his beck and call. He was asked to wait till the weekend for his mother to come and pick him. Reluctantly, he agreed and waited for Friday to come. Very early on Friday morning Yadu picked up his bag and told his uncle: “I am going home whether Mummy comes or not!” Most Christians are like Yadu, quick to follow but without much commitment. God calls us to do things, to embrace a particular life, and it may not be in quite the way we expect it to be or even want it to be.
Our first reading today begins with God’s selection of a young man named Elisha to be the successor of the very famous prophet Elijah. God speaks to Elijah and tells him to go find a young farmer named Elisha and anoint him as a prophet and successor. Elisha acts somewhat strangely by our standards and simply finds the boy in a field and throws a cloak over him and walks away. For whatever reason Elisha seems to know what Elijah and God are asking him, so he asks if he can say goodbye to his parents, and as a symbol of leaving everything behind, he kills all his oxen and gives them as food. He “killed everything” that could constitute a distraction to serving God. He has nothing left of his own, so he goes and follows Elijah as his servant. And he stays his servant and lives in Elijah’s shadow for eight years. Eventually he does become a successor and a prophet of Israel, but he always remains in the shadow of Elijah who was one of the most famous of Israel’s prophets. Elisha is noted for hearing the call of God and following it without question. He had been a farmer, but lowered himself to a servant in the process. He left his parents and his life to do God’s will.
Is it not baffling today that Christians are not committed to Christ in spite of our Baptismal, Religious and even Marital vows to follow Christ? This is because, our Oxen still lives. We must “slaughter” them as a sign of total commitment to Jesus Christ or, our attention will continue to be divided because: “You cannot serve God and Marmon at the same time” (Lk 16, 13).
In the second reading Paul reminds us of the freedom we have in Christ. This freedom like the one Elisha got from his service to his oxen is for a purpose. This freedom enables us to be free from other commitments that enslave us in order to be totally committed to Christ. Therefore, it is freedom not to be wasted on frivolities of life. That is what Paul describes as “self indulgence.” It is not freedom to become busy-bodies or a mediocre. Instead, it is freedom to follow and serve the Lord closely. Jean Jacques Rousseau in one of his philosophical thesis writes: “Man is free, but everywhere in chains.” Therefore ours is a freedom that also binds us to Christ and Charity towards others. This is why Paul says: “I am in chains because of Christ” (Phil 1, 13). Yes, even though he was saved from the perils of the world, he remained “a slave” for a worthy course. In short, ours is a freedom that helps us commit our entire life’s endeavour to Christ and his course: “But once I found Christ, all those things that I might count as profit, I reckon as loss” (Phil 3, 7-8). Yes, we have freedom but it is for the sake of serving Christ.
Joke: A visitor preacher gave his hat to the ushers so they could pass it around for a goodwill offering. When it came back to the preacher, it was nearly empty. But the preacher didn’t flinch. He raised the hat to heaven and said, “I thank you, lord that I got my hat back from this congregation!” Note: It happened not here, but elsewhere.
The gospel brings us to the zenith of this total commitment to the Lord. In it, Christ himself saw the lopsided nature of the commitment of the young men wishing to follow him. Having addressed their individual situations and complains, He makes a categorical statement: “Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Of course, we know the consequences of looking back. It turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt (Gen 19, 26). What Christ means and wants here is total commitment! This is not neglecting the fact that occasionally we might go off the track. However, when we do, we must as a matter of urgency return to the Lord. “Looking back” is therefore a dangerous venture in our Christian journey.
Like Elisha, we must “slaughter” or “kill” all the forces, obstacles and vices like: selfishness, materialism, greed, pride, laziness, immorality, cheating, backbiting, gossiping avarice, nepotism, tribalism, etcetera, that prevent us from serving the Lord well. This is the only way we can cry out and say: “O Lord, you are my portion and cup.” If we are totally committed to the Lord, He will definitely show us the part of life and true freedom in this world and beyond.
Introduction: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Message: Elisha is summoned to follow the prophet Elijah and to succeed him. Jesus insists that those who follow him must abandon all material or psychological securities, walking ever forward without looking back. Paul distinguishes between true freedom and license.
Saints and events in this week: 1-Monday-Blessed Junipero Serra, priest from USA; 3-Wednesday-Saint Thomas, Apostle; 5-Friday-Saint Anthony Zaccaria, priest; Saint Elizabeth of Portugal from USA; 6-Saturday-Saint Maria Goretti, virgin, martyr
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