My Seven-Minute-Homily June 30th 2013
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
The First Book of King 19. 16, 19-21; Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians 5.1,13-18 and the Gospel of St. Luke 9, 51-62
The First Reading is taken from the First Book of Kings in where the Lord commissioned Elijah to anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat as the prophet to succeed him. Elijah set out to find Elisha. When Elijah found Elisha, he was ploughing the twelfth yoke of oxen. Passing by Elisha, Elijah threw his mantle over him. It meant two things. First of all, because the mantle represents the personality and rights of its owner, its casting over Elisha meant that Elisha now belonged to Elijah. Secondly, because the hair-shirt mantle was part of the official dress of the prophets, to cast it over another person meant a formal investing with the authority that comes from being initiated in the membership of prophets. From this action, Elisha perceived that God was calling him through Elijah to become a prophet. Leaving the oxen, Elisha ran after Elijah, asked permission to say goodbye to his parents, and accepted God's calling to become a prophet.
With the First Reading, we learn that as Elisha accepted to live a holy life by submitting himself to the Divine Will of God without hesitation, we Catholics are also called to be holy by standing firm for the Glory of God and for human salvation.
In the Second Reading, the letter of St. Paul to the Galatians, we know that we have been called to become slaves to one another in Christ. Bound by the spiritual law of Christ, our commandment is, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Through the whole law, "there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him." If we love this one but we do not love that one, we are not of Christ. If we limit our love to those of a certain gender, age or ethnic background, we are not of Christ.
We have been called to live by the spirit, the spirit of adoption that we have received through Christ. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." "What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit." We having been born of the Spirit are spirit "and what the spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent us from doing what we want, what is righteous." Being born again in Christ, we have received the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit who inclines our new hearts towards all righteousness, we have a living hope of completing our journey on earth. Through the sanctifying fire of the Holy Spirit, we have a living hope of eternal joy and peace in the Kingdom of God.
During today's Gospel Reading, we heard that Jesus was rejected by the Samaritans. The Samaritans were originally Gentile people who had descended from foreigners who had settled in Israel after the deportation of the Israelites in 721 B.C. Because Jesus set His eyes on Jerusalem, the Samaritans did not receive Him. Making a distinction between the Jews and the Samaritans, they did not love their neighbors as themselves. They had not learned the meaning of true discipleship. James and John, the disciples of Jesus asked Jesus for permission to command fire to come down from Heaven and to consume them. Jesus turned and rebuked them. He called them the "sons of thunder." Thunder or punishment never works well for human salvation but love and patience. As Jesus was going along the road, someone came to Him and said that he would follow Jesus wherever He went. To him, Jesus said, "'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." From this response, we learn that foxes and birds have a resting place, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head, Jesus was indicating that in true discipleship, He expects total dedication.
Then Jesus told one person to follow Him. The person replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." To this, Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Through these words, Jesus was saying, "Let those who are spiritually dead bury those who are physically dead. My message is one of life." In His response, Jesus did not intend to be taken literally. Rather, He wanted to stir the thoughts of those who were present. Jesus was fully aware of the respect that the children had towards their parents, especially when it concerned burying one's parents. This filial piety was deep rooted within Judaism.
Another who said that He would follow Jesus after saying farewell to those at his home, Jesus said, "No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." In other words, in true discipleship, ploughing demands more than what was demanded of Elisha. To plough for the Kingdom of God, it demands sacrifices. If one takes the time to look back, the work of God shall suffer.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, this is today's message to us from God. In true discipleship, there is no turning back. There is no turning back to the worldly ways. As servants of Christ, we are expected to continuously move forward by growing in our spiritual lives through the grace of God the Father and the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit in the Most Holy Name of Jesus. This week, let us consider this truth according to our callings, be it the religious life, the matrimonial life or the single life. Are we spiritually growing in our callings? Are we being loyal to our Master? Are we being true disciples? And if some find that there is much to be desired in their lives, may they take this opportunity to change their hearts while the grace of God is at work in them this week.
Oremus: O Lord Jesus, we want to be your disciples very much. However we still love property, possession and high position in the world as well. Teach us to understand the meaning of self-giving for the good of all souls. Amen. Father Great Rice
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
The First Book of King 19. 16, 19-21; Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians 5.1,13-18 and the Gospel of St. Luke 9, 51-62
The First Reading is taken from the First Book of Kings in where the Lord commissioned Elijah to anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat as the prophet to succeed him. Elijah set out to find Elisha. When Elijah found Elisha, he was ploughing the twelfth yoke of oxen. Passing by Elisha, Elijah threw his mantle over him. It meant two things. First of all, because the mantle represents the personality and rights of its owner, its casting over Elisha meant that Elisha now belonged to Elijah. Secondly, because the hair-shirt mantle was part of the official dress of the prophets, to cast it over another person meant a formal investing with the authority that comes from being initiated in the membership of prophets. From this action, Elisha perceived that God was calling him through Elijah to become a prophet. Leaving the oxen, Elisha ran after Elijah, asked permission to say goodbye to his parents, and accepted God's calling to become a prophet.
With the First Reading, we learn that as Elisha accepted to live a holy life by submitting himself to the Divine Will of God without hesitation, we Catholics are also called to be holy by standing firm for the Glory of God and for human salvation.
In the Second Reading, the letter of St. Paul to the Galatians, we know that we have been called to become slaves to one another in Christ. Bound by the spiritual law of Christ, our commandment is, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Through the whole law, "there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him." If we love this one but we do not love that one, we are not of Christ. If we limit our love to those of a certain gender, age or ethnic background, we are not of Christ.
We have been called to live by the spirit, the spirit of adoption that we have received through Christ. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." "What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit." We having been born of the Spirit are spirit "and what the spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent us from doing what we want, what is righteous." Being born again in Christ, we have received the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit who inclines our new hearts towards all righteousness, we have a living hope of completing our journey on earth. Through the sanctifying fire of the Holy Spirit, we have a living hope of eternal joy and peace in the Kingdom of God.
During today's Gospel Reading, we heard that Jesus was rejected by the Samaritans. The Samaritans were originally Gentile people who had descended from foreigners who had settled in Israel after the deportation of the Israelites in 721 B.C. Because Jesus set His eyes on Jerusalem, the Samaritans did not receive Him. Making a distinction between the Jews and the Samaritans, they did not love their neighbors as themselves. They had not learned the meaning of true discipleship. James and John, the disciples of Jesus asked Jesus for permission to command fire to come down from Heaven and to consume them. Jesus turned and rebuked them. He called them the "sons of thunder." Thunder or punishment never works well for human salvation but love and patience. As Jesus was going along the road, someone came to Him and said that he would follow Jesus wherever He went. To him, Jesus said, "'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." From this response, we learn that foxes and birds have a resting place, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head, Jesus was indicating that in true discipleship, He expects total dedication.
Then Jesus told one person to follow Him. The person replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." To this, Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Through these words, Jesus was saying, "Let those who are spiritually dead bury those who are physically dead. My message is one of life." In His response, Jesus did not intend to be taken literally. Rather, He wanted to stir the thoughts of those who were present. Jesus was fully aware of the respect that the children had towards their parents, especially when it concerned burying one's parents. This filial piety was deep rooted within Judaism.
Another who said that He would follow Jesus after saying farewell to those at his home, Jesus said, "No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." In other words, in true discipleship, ploughing demands more than what was demanded of Elisha. To plough for the Kingdom of God, it demands sacrifices. If one takes the time to look back, the work of God shall suffer.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, this is today's message to us from God. In true discipleship, there is no turning back. There is no turning back to the worldly ways. As servants of Christ, we are expected to continuously move forward by growing in our spiritual lives through the grace of God the Father and the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit in the Most Holy Name of Jesus. This week, let us consider this truth according to our callings, be it the religious life, the matrimonial life or the single life. Are we spiritually growing in our callings? Are we being loyal to our Master? Are we being true disciples? And if some find that there is much to be desired in their lives, may they take this opportunity to change their hearts while the grace of God is at work in them this week.
Oremus: O Lord Jesus, we want to be your disciples very much. However we still love property, possession and high position in the world as well. Teach us to understand the meaning of self-giving for the good of all souls. Amen. Father Great Rice