13th Sunday in Ordinary Time C Reflections

13^th Sunday in Ordinary Time C

1 Kings 19:16. 19-21, Ps. 15:1-2, 5.7-11 R v.5, Galatians 5:1. 13-18,

Elisha rose and followed Elijah and became his servant.

O Lord it is you who are my portion and cup.

If the Spirit guides you, you will be in no danger of yielding to self-indulgence.

Your duty is to go and spread the news of God’s Kingdom

 Luke 9:51-62

 Jerusalem showing place where the Temple was

and Calvary.

⁵¹ Now it happened that as the time drew near for him to be taken up, he resolutely turned his face towards Jerusalem ⁵² and sent messengers ahead of him. These set out, and they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him, ⁵³ but the people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, 'Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?' ⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them, ⁵⁶ and they went on to another village. ⁵⁷ As they travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' ⁵⁸ Jesus answered, 'Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.' ⁵⁹ Another to whom he said, 'Follow me,' replied, 'Let me go and bury my father first.' ⁶⁰ But he answered, 'Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.' ⁶¹ Another said, 'I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say good -- bye to my people at home.' ⁶² Jesus said to him, 'Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'

The view of Jerusalem from 'Dominus Flevit Church' (Jesus Wept Church) on the mount of Olives opposite the Dome of Rock, where stood the Temple in Jesus' time.

Do you give everything or only part?

It didn’t need a revelation to tell Jesus that death awaited him in Jerusalem. The leaders could not stomach what he said and did. Allow him to live and there would be no Temple, no Judaism. Jesus knew them and yet “he resolutely took the road to Jerusalem” He would face whatever was coming and he would carry out his mission. He would be true to his Father and to Himself. He would not compromise. Whatever the cost he would be faithful to his call. He loved and reverenced his Father.

But his disciples?  They did not yet understand. “Do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” How they had misunderstood his message. Hopefully when they saw Jesus in Jerusalem, ‘handed over to sinners’ they would realise he had a different spirit from this world. But do we?

Those who rushed forward to follow him didn’t realise what it would cost. Do we? Do you realise that to follow Jesus we should be totally committed. Jesus, kind and merciful though he is, will not tolerate half-measures. “He, who seeks to save his life, will lose it”. ‘If you want to be my disciple, give up everything including and, most of all, your ‘ego’ – that love of self which comes into everything.

‘I will follow you wherever you go’. Jesus says, ‘I have nothing; not even the security of a hole in the ground. You have to live like me’. ‘I will come when I have buried my father’. Jesus says: ‘don’t put any conditions. You have received the call, leave everything including your father and come’. ‘Let me go and say farewell and then I will come’. Jesus says; ‘I have called you now. Follow me now’.

Do any of us really understand?  We don’t become disciples in an instant. But from the beginning we need to be totally committed to Jesus. We need to leave everything and spend time with him in prayer and always be ready to drop our own desires and wishes. With Jesus it is NOW and it is EVERYTHING. Love makes all the difference.

What limits? What conditions have you put? “I believe and will do something. But please Lord, I do have my own life, you know. I can’t always be listening to you. I’ll go to Mass on most Sundays and certainly Christmas and Easter. But don’t expect me to avoid all sin…” “Once you have put your hand to the plough, if you look back, you are not fit for the kingdom of heaven”. If we believe in Jesus, we submit to crucifixion. Is the cost too much? We have to crucify our worldly and bodily desires. Is it worth it?

We cannot outdo Jesus in generosity. Full commitment to Him is well worth while. He will not betray his disciples.

Father give me the heart of your Son.