Homily For The 13TH Sunday In The Ordinary Time. Yr C. June 26, 2022
SUNDAY READINGS
”No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” –Luke 9:62
My Dearest Friends in Christ,
I am delighted to welcome you to this 13th Sunday in the Ordinary Time of the year. The green colour which marks this season is symbolic of life and growth. May it remind us to persevere in growing and drawing life from the Table of God’s Word and the Eucharist.
The readings of today remind us of God’s telling us to avoid excuses and distractions in answering God’s daily call to serve Him in others. Life teaches us that anyone who looks back on a mission never accomplishes it. We need perseverance, commitment and focus to overcome all distractions and obstacles in order to accomplish the mission God has called us to do. God is calling us daily and we have to answer Him without hesitation or any form of distraction.
The first reading describes how Elisha committed himself whole-heartedly to answer God’s call to be a prophet, despite his initial hesitation when God called him through the prophet Elijah.
The second reading, taken from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, reinforces the commitment message of the first reading. Paul warns that true freedom is not meant to be a license for self-indulgence, but to be a way to show God, ourselves and others our commitment to God and His service. There is nothing like absolute freedom. A philosopher once said that “man is born free but everywhere is in chains”. We are not in chains of slavery since as God’s children we live in freedom. Our freedom enables us to give God unreserved commitment to answer His call or follow the ways of the world; whichever option one takes, has its consequences. The price of freedom is not cheap. The greatest freedom we enjoy is the freedom of the will. So we must make the right choices, and not abuse our God-given freedom. ”Freedom does not mean the right to do whatever we please, but rather to do as we ought. The right to do whatever we please reduces freedom to physical power and forgets that freedom is a moral power.”
– Fulton J. Sheen
The first part of today’s Gospel records Jesus’ teaching on Christian tolerance, given after He had observed the angry response of two of His apostles. James and John were angry and asked if Jesus wanted them to bring down fire from Heaven to destroy the Samaritans who had refused to receive Jesus as a prophet and had not allowed Him to travel through their village when Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem
The reaction of these sons of thunder reminds us how most of us who have the power can abuse their powers. James and John were aware that they had the power to bring down thunder and they wanted to use it. Christ admonished them and used that occasion to teach us, dear brothers and sisters, that we must not exercise self restraint and avoid using the power invested in us by virtue of our authority in whatever state of life we find ourselves to do harm. Tolerance is a virtue that we must pray to acquire. When we lack self restraint and tolerance we use force and anger which is always destructive. Whatever is done in anger can never please God. When you are denied access or treated unjustly like Jesus and His disciples in one territory, try another route or another place, God might give you a better opportunity. During the Civil War in America, President Abraham Lincoln was often criticized for not being severe enough on the soldiers of the South. On one occasion after a battle, a General from the North asked him, “Why didn’t you destroy the enemy when you had the chance?” Lincoln answered with words adapted from today’s Gospel passage: “Do I not destroy my enemy by making him my friend?” That is exactly what Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel: Destroy our enemies by making them our friends. No doubt the feelings of anger and resentment run deep in many hearts today especially in the light of the utterances and actions of many political and religious leaders. We often desire and rejoice to see people who hurt us being punished or suffering. Jesus, however, says: “That is not my Spirit. Let Me heal your heart.” “Tolerance is an attitude of reasoned patience towards evil…a forbearance that restrains us from showing anger or inflicting punishments. Tolerance applies only to persons…never to truth.” –Fulton J. Sheen
In the second part of today’s Gospel, Luke introduces three potential disciples who offered lame reasons that made Jesus’ call to ministry “impossible” for them to accept, after Jesus had told them plainly what the commitment required and the cost involved. They were found unfit and unprepared to follow Jesus as His disciples. We too, are asked to follow Jesus, totally and immediately, without any reservations, both by giving priority to Him and His cause and by surrendering our lives to God in humble and dedicated service to others.
God’s call comes to us in little ways daily. It could be in a form of giving urgent attention to something that needs to be done or answering an emergency call to help. How often have we neglected others and our responsibilities by being distracted by some frivolous activities? How often have we made up excuses to avoid giving attention to some worthy cause of action? May today’s Word of God remind us that no one who looks back when it comes to giving attention or answering a call to serve, nor who manufactures excuses to avoid answering God’s call is worthy of being called a disciple. God wants a spontaneous response to doing something good. Don’t allow family, friends, nor some useless engagements to distract you.
May we learn to be patient and tolerant in dealing with the weak, the unbelievers, and those who treat us badly.
May God give us the grace to answer His call daily with total commitment and love.
I keep you and your family always in my prayers. ©Clem C. Aladi (2024)
