June 27, 2010
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Rev. Joe McCloskey, SJ
Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Please, let me kiss my father and mother good-bye, and I will follow you." "Go back!" Elijah answered. “Have I done anything to you?” Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to his people to eat. Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant. 1 Kings 19:19-21
For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14
"I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home." (To him) Jesus said, "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:61-62
Piety
The more things we have, the less freedom we have. Protecting our freedom is difficult in our world that preaches the gospel of neediness. There is the call of Christ that is in our hearts. We have been given by the resurrection of Christ the ultimate reason to do good and to avoid evil. There is no shortcut to following Christ. The world created through Christ and for Christ is a wonderful place to live in when we are unencumbered with possessions. The law of God is fulfilled by our loving our neighbor as our self. The second commandment is what selfless love is all about. When we live by the Spirit, we are not under the law. The Spirit sets us free to follow Christ. When we burn our bridges, there is no going back. The desire to follow Christ to Jerusalem is the call of Christ. The call claims our heart by all the ways we come to know Christ.
Study
We study how to follow Christ. The desire to follow Christ is born in our freedom. The desire to be close to Christ belongs to our creation. We are created in the image and the likeness of God in Christ. If I am willing to get close to him, the realization of true happiness draws me on to even a closer relationship. The promises of the Sacred Heart are what we need to hold Christ to live up to. If we honor the love of Christ, the tepid become fervent. The fervent become more fervent. Christ promises to raise us up to great sanctity if we live his love for one another. We are called by Christ’s love for us to freedom. Love generates a response. Love calls us to an ever closer relationship. Christ comes to us in our prayer. He confirms us in our gifts so that we truly have something to give to those we love. Because we are created in the image and the likeness of Christ, we study each other to discover the truth of Christ in our lives.
Action
Elijah anointed Elisha to succeed him. Each of us needs to have Christ’s friends in our lives. We anoint each other to closer relationships to Christ by sharing our love of Christ with those companions of life that we hold dear. Wherever there is love, God is there. Our freedom is seen in our dedication to God in our daily life. True freedom is the doing of things in the way of Christ. Our lives with the saints bring us down the road of Christ made real in our times and days. How Christ appeals to us is in our freedom. True Freedom is found in closeness to Christ. His road to the Cross is paved with his love of all of us. Our willingness to suffer for a better world is how we go with Christ to Jerusalem. Our fitness for the Kingdom of God is seen in how we look forward to what is coming in Christ for us. The Take and Receive prayer of St. Ignatius says I all: Take and receive, O Lord, my liberty, My mind and my will I return to you. Your Grace and your love is enough for me.
