GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 28TH SEPTEMBER 2016
WEDNESDAY OF THE 26TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
1ST READING: Job 9:1-12, 14-16
PSALM: Psalm 88:10-15
GOSPEL: Luke 9:57-62
THEME: RADICAL COMMITMENT
A well-known pianist is said to have remarked, “If I do not practice for one day, I notice something wrong. If I do not practice for two days, my wife notices something wrong. And if I do not practice for three days, the whole world notices something wrong.”
Similarly, following Christ is not a once-in-a-week affair; it is a daily matter. A day without Christ is a way to crisis. We jeopardise our vocations in life when we start finding little excuses not to be with Christ.
Often we tend to think that following Christ is the last thing to do when all other things have been done. Hence, we give Christ the surplus of our time, energy, talents etc. Well, it appears Jesus is not interested in the “surplus”; he wants the complete you and he calls each one of us to embark on a journey of undivided commitment.
In our Gospel text for today, Jesus throws a big challenge to would-be followers of his. He 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 a third, he said, “Follow me”. In these encounters, Jesus made three important statements that underscore the level of commitment expected of 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).
When we give the Lord 99% of our commitment and hold back 1%, the 1%, with the passage of time, robs the 99% and sooner or later we come to discover that we have stopped following him.
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.
Prayer: 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.
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).