June 26, 2022, Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
One cannot help but notice the similarity of the Gospel and the First Reading for today. They are both about the call to service to the Lord. Yet, at the same time, the two passages contain some significant differences, especially in the response of those called or chosen.
In the First Reading (1 Kgs. 19:16b, 19-21), God has instructed the prophet Elijah to appoint Elisha as his successor, for Elijah’s ministry is soon coming to its end. So, Elijah travels to Elisha and finds him plowing his field with twelve yoke of oxen. Elijah goes to Elisha and throws his cloak over him signifying Elisha’s call to be his attendant and disciple.
Elisha leaves his oxen and begs Elijah to let him bid farewell to his parents. Elijah responds in an obscure way saying, “Go back! Have I done anything to you?” (1 Kgs. 19:20b). Elijah’s meaning is simply this. By throwing his cloak over Elisha, Elijah has asked him to make a profound change, one which will require him to make great sacrifices. This is what he “has done” to Elisha.
Elisha’s prompt response, putting his plow aside and slaughtering his oxen, signify his eager and instant acceptance of this radical change from his former way of life, where he was a wealthy landowner with the possession of a large team of oxen workers. In essence he has let go of his plow and his wealth in order to free up his hands to catch Elijah’s cloak and become his follower. So, it is only fitting that Elisha be permitted to quickly put his affairs in order to proceed to his new vocation.
In the Gospel for today (Lk 9:51-62), Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem and the fate that awaits him there. Along the way he encounters different types of people who might be potential disciples in the continuation of his ministry. First, Jesus and his disciples travel through a Samaritan village. As established adversaries, the Samaritans refuse to welcome Jesus. So, the disciples James and John ask Jesus if he wants them to call down fire from heaven to consume them. This is reminiscent of the fire that Elijah called down from heaven against his enemies, the soldiers of King Ahaziah (2Kgs. 1:10). But Jesus scolds them. He is searching for disciples to help foster his Church, but not willing to bring violence on anyone, whether they be friend or foe.
As they continue their mission Jesus meets someone who makes an oath saying, “I will follow you wherever you go” (Lk. 9:57). In a similar passage in the Gospel of Matthew, we are told that this man is a scribe (Mt. 8:20). As such he would have been among the wealthiest of the Jews and accustomed to living a lavish existence. Jesus senses that this wealthy man would not be willing to follow him if he knew the impoverished lifestyle that Jesus lives. Thus, he describes the cost of discipleship to the scribe saying, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head” (Lk. 9:58). Certainly, this affluent scribe would not consent to the harshness that being a disciple brings.
To another man Jesus says, “Follow me.” But this man gives Jesus a condition before he will follow him. He says, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father” (Lk. 9:59). Jesus responds harshly to the man saying, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Lk. 9:60). Jesus knows that a proper Jewish burial takes at least twelve months as the body is buried, and then a year later the bones collected and reburied in an ossuary. Any inheritance of wealth would then occur according to custom. This time commitment and delay for bequest is not acceptable to Jesus who is close to the end of his mission.
Finally, a third person says to Jesus, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home” (Lk. 9:61). Jesus reacts to this by saying, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk. 9:62). This is a reference to the plow that Elisha left behind in order to follow Elijah. Elisha did this with a sense of urgency that Jesus does not detect in this particular person. He intuits that serving others according to the practices of Jesus would not be possible for this man who is still so attached to his family. In essence, Jesus is laying it on the line and forcing this man to make a choice. He is telling this man if you are going to follow me, do it today. Don’t let anything else get in the way.
These stories reflect the types of choices we are faced with today in order to follow Jesus. We might be like the Samaritans who pick and choose the religious traditions to follow, leaving aside other rules and customs that do not fit our own lifestyles. We might be like the plow owner, concerned with a professional success which we cannot let go. Or we might be like the last two men who are attached to family obligations which cause them to have a half-hearted commitment to carrying on the work of the Lord.
The lesson of the story is that there will always be hard choices, sacrifice, and challenges which we must overcome to follow Jesus. There will always be things which seem to have a greater priority or urgency than becoming a follower of Christ. The time to make a choice may come upon us without warning and force us into a drastic change of lifestyle. When this happens what will your answer to Jesus be? Let me attend to my own life first, or here I am ready to get started without delay?
