June 30, 2013 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time C

Bulletin: June 30, 2013 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time C

1 Kings 19:16, 19-21; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-62

Being a follower of Jesus is all about commitment. Am I committed to being a person of love and compassion; forgiveness and healing? It’s very easy to say that I am a Christian, but am I a Christian? I want to say ‘yes’ but am I? In the early Apostolic Church a remark was said, ‘Look at those Christians, how much love they have for each other.’ Do I have this kind of love?
A periodical from the Diocese of Lansing puts it this way in commenting on today’s readings: “It isn’t always easy being a Christian. Sometimes our beliefs are not very popular with the rest of society. Sometimes, it may seem easier to relax at home or go to a ball game, rather than go to church. It may be more fashionable to dress in the latest trend than to dress modestly. It may feel better to buy that more expensive home than to provide for the homeless. It may seem more polite to stay silent than to defend our faith, or it may be easier to vote the party line than to stand up for Catholic ideals.”
Today’s reading give real life examples of people who had to make decisions. God told Elijah to appoint Elisha as his successor to the office of prophet. But Elisha has to take care of his family; he does this and then follows the prophet. Paul tells the Galatians that they shouldn’t hide behind the Law of Moses. Anything can be found in the Law to support one’s point of view, but Paul says the gospel message of Jesus is point blank: suppress selfish desires of the flesh and live according to the Spirit. In all things “You must love your neighbor as yourself. But if you go on biting and devouring one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.” Is it my way or God’s way? Is it God’s way when it is convenient or at all times? Do I try to rationalize by saying that Jesus’ Law was good then, but today, that’s a different problem?
Jesus is telling me and each person about three people who approached Him and wanted to become ‘Christians.’ The first one enthusiastically wants to join right away, ‘sign on the dotted line.’ The other two want to postpone joining until they have taken care of their immediate affairs. Is Jesus too harsh in telling them what the discipleship demands exact? He says His followers must be willing to relinquish all, total commitment is needed.
This gospel helps me to review again where I am at and to see how the Spirit is constantly helping me in my daily struggle to give up me and become Jesus. Jesus specifically said that the ‘comforts of home’ shouldn’t enslave me so that I don’t do His work; this coupled with a freedom from family ties that might provide an excuse from preaching the ‘kingdom of God.’ I have struggled in doing this; it is only the Spirit’s grace and gifts that have helped me.

This gospel might seem to be addressed only to priests and religious. Yet the bottom line question might be phrased today as ‘what enslaves me so that I can’t respond and live as a follower of Jesus, as a Christian? Even more of a bottom line is: God calls each one to holiness? Am I working on my holiness? Only ‘holy people’ are in heaven! There is no back door that’s left ajar for easy access. Each person is on a journey to heaven. Each and every day each one will encounter responsibilities at home, at work, at school, at ‘fun time’. Each will encounter pressures, problems and choices. At each person’s Baptism, we received a call to live lives of holiness as followers of Christ. There were no ‘wishy washy’ words; rather ‘be Christ’s light to your world.’ This means that each person must daily reflect on how blessed it is that God has given me another day to live. And the ‘living’ is what is important here; each person is to live the life of Christ by loving. This takes a whole new way of thinking and listening; it takes a new way of living. This requires me and each person to become well acquainted with the Gospels and know Jesus who wants to be known and lived. It means being faithfully committed to my prayer life and the life of the Church in receiving all the sacraments that help me love. Isn’t it so wonderful that God has provided me and each person the ‘necessary goods’ for the journey today?

So I reflect on:

• What kind of commitment have I made to be a disciple of the Lord? Do I realize that this has changed since I was baptized, confirmed, ordained a priest? Do I realize that each day Jesus is saying ‘Follow Me’ and He gives me the specific grace each day to do just that? Do I think about this and pray about this?
• How do I understand what it means to be free? Do some kinds of freedom end up enslaving me?
• I like to reflect on the old question, ‘By your words and actions, could you be convicted of being a Christian in a court of law?’
• Being a Christian necessarily means that I must object to some of the values of society and at the same time try to change those things that violate gospel-based values. Do I do this?
• How determined am I to follow Jesus all day today and all night tonight?
  

Sacred Space 2013 helps so much:

“It is easy for me to think of how I might be a better disciple if my situation were different. I take some time to consider how this is the road along which I walk with Jesus; He does not speak to me from a distance but knows where I am and sees where He wants to go with me.

Jesus asks me not to be distracted, not to have my attention dissipated by many concerns. I take some time today to let myself hear God calling me.”

Some Gospel suggestions for me:

• Concentrate this week on how well my actions correspond to the Christian values I profess.
• Evaluate what my most important material possessions are, and what my life would be like if I did not have them.
• Think of the people in missionary lands I have seen especially in Haiti and Bolivia. They live for today because it is all they have, am I the same way?
  

Pray Daily: “Lord, you came to call us to live life and give life to the full. Teach me to love as You love, wanting only to bring all of those You love to the fullness of response to You. For this is life. Amen.”