“Be Genuine” by Colleen O’Sullivan
When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven
in a whirlwind, he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here; the
Lord has sent me on to the Jordan.” “As
the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you,” Elisha
replied. And so the two went on
together. Fifty of the guild prophets
followed and when the two stopped at the Jordan, they stood facing them at a
distance. Elijah took his mantle, rolled
it up and struck the water, which divided, and both crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed over, Elijah said to
Elisha, “Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha
answered, “May I receive a double portion of your spirit.” (2 Kings 2:1, 6-9)
How great is the goodness, O LORD, which you have in store for those who
fear you,
And which, toward those who take refuge in you, you show in the sight of the children of men.
And which, toward those who take refuge in you, you show in the sight of the children of men.
(Psalm 31:20)
Jesus said
to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that
people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly
Father. (Matthew 6:1)
Piety
Lord, help us to search the motivations of our hearts. May we find there genuine love for you and all
our brothers and sisters.
Study
Even though I’ve read this story of Elijah
and Elisha many times, today it particularly touched my heart. Elijah will soon be leaving this world. He and his protégé begin walking from Gilgal
to Bethel and on to Jericho. Before they
reach the Jordan River, however, Elijah tells Elisha to stay where he is. He can go the rest of the way alone. Maybe it’s because I’ve recently read and heard
about so many people leaving this world with no family or friends at their side
to say goodbye or to express their love. Still, Elisha’s determination to stick
by his friend till the end was very moving.
Elisha says there’s no way he’ll leave the older man.
Even though there were 50 guild
prophets following them, we never read that Elisha looks back to see if they’re
impressed by his fidelity. No, he
accompanies Elijah all the way across the Jordan. On the other side, Elijah asks Elisha if
there’s anything he can give him or do for him.
What Elisha asks for is a big thing, but for the right reason. He doesn’t ask for wealth. Elisha wants to be able to adequately fill Elijah’s
huge shoes when he is gone, so he requests a double portion of the prophet’s
spirit. And he receives it.
It seems like the ending of a genuinely
caring friendship between two people, who each, in turn, truly loved God.
In the Gospel today, the main point
Jesus makes is the necessity of being genuine.
Don’t let other people know how much you give to the poor. Almsgiving is not about gaining admiration
for yourself but about showing love for God’s needy sons and daughters. When you pray, do it quietly and in
secret. Don’t attempt to impress others
with your piety. Only God needs to know for
who and what you are praying. If you
choose to fast, don’t ostentatiously refuse food and drink, bringing attention
to yourself. Instead, offer up genuine
sacrifice for the good of something or someone else.
Action
I once
heard a middle-aged man confess that up to that point in his life, everything
he’d ever done had been for himself, not for God. Fortunately,
the Lord is always willing to help us turn our lives around. Talk to Jesus today about the desires and
motivations of your heart.
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