GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 26TH JUNE 2016
13TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
1ST READING: 1Kings 19:16, 19-21
PSALM: Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11
2ND READING: Galatians 5:1, 13-18
GOSPEL: Luke 9:51-62
THEME: FOLLOW ME
Different people choose to follow Jesus for different reasons. For example, some go to Church, hoping that the Lord would perform a miracle for them to get a husband, child, good job or be healed of a certain ailment.
There are some who come to Jesus not intending to follow him to the end but simply to get something from him and then go back to their former way of living. These are the “submarine” Christians. They show their faces in the presence of Christ when it favours them and thereafter dive deep into a way of life that shows no commitment to Christ. Sometimes we even use the good gifts we have received from the Lord as an excuse for not following him.
In our Gospel text for today, there is a narration of three encounters that Jesus had with certain would-be followers. Jesus had set his face to go to Jerusalem (cf. Lk. 9:51), where he would be arrested, subjected to suffering and crucified. As he made this journey, two men expressed their desires to follow him. To another, he said, “Follow me”. In these encounters, Jesus made three important statements that underscore the level of commitment expected from those who choose to follow him.
1. “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:58).
2. “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60).
3. “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).
In these statements, we can discern the level of commitment Jesus expects of us when we choose to follow him. This commitment is exemplified in the account of the call of the prophet Elisha in the First Reading. Elisha virtually abandoned his old way of life when he heard the call of the Lord and followed Elijah as his attendant.
When we give the Lord 99% of our commitment and hold back 1%, with the passage of time the 1% robs the 99% and sooner or later we come to discover that we have stopped following the Lord. Paul writes, “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit to the yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1).
Following Jesus is tough; he never said it would be easy. However, every true follower of Jesus can testify that it is better being on the side of Jesus than going one’s own way.
Lord Jesus, I surrender to your call today. I choose to follow you with all the implications that go with it. May your perfect will for my life be done. Amen.
Fr. Andrews Obeng, SVD
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)