THIRTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME: YEAR C

“If your language is of shouting then better use sign language” – Lib MSO



First Reading 1 King 19:16b, 19-21

Second Reading Gal 5:1, 13-18

Gospel Luke 9:51-62



Supposing I asked you let us go. What would be your next words to utter? “Where to?”

Last Sunday Jesus was giving a foretaste of what is to happen to him, but before he releases his bomb shell, he had first to ask them, what do people say he is, and above all who they, themselves say about him.

Jesus takes the decision and sets out. Most of us would prefer to give reasons and all sorts of rotating around in the room wasting time, looking for nothing but simply causing delays. Think of a time when your husband, wife, dad, sister, brother is the one to drive you to church on Sunday, who is always the last to come out of the house, room. This Sunday give a thought about this person who is always delaying the rest. (late comers, dragging of feet, no commitments in life).

They behave like pagans, they prefer to attend feasts rather than catechism lessons or meetings, and they are dishonest. If they are public employees they are easily bribed and so it goes, quite the opposite of “hard countenance”.

Jesus sends his disciples ahead of him (Samaria) but the inhabitants refuse to give them hospitality. James and John then ask the Master. “Lord do you want us to call down the fire from heaven to burn them up?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them for their foolish proposal (52-56). They had to “harden their countenance” all right, but with themselves, not against the others. They remembered how Prophet Elijah had fire rain down from heaven on the wicked of his time (2Kg 1:10) and are convinced they must do the same thing to all who oppose the spreading of the gospel. Even the Baptist, after all, threatened the fire from heaven (Luke 3:9, 17).

Jesus reply is quite clear: the time for aggressiveness and fanaticism is over. The only fire that is his disciples can make use of is that of the Holy Spirit which transforms the heart of people. This is the fire that Jesus has come to bring on earth (Luke 12:49), the fire that will come down on earth on Pentecost day.

We should never let it out of our minds not reacting with a spirit of revenge, with harsh words, but always and only with love. If someone attacks you with lies, deceit and violence, you need to respond with blessings of God on the attackers. Because of their fighting attitude, the brothers James and John were nicknamed “sons of thunder” (Mk 3:17). I think we still have many “sons of thunder” in our communities. Some may be convinced that good manners and good behavior will take us nowhere, and so they “thunder” mercilessly against the wicked, the evil-doers and sinners.

We cannot behave like this once we call ourselves Christians. We have to be modeled on respect and tolerance towards those who hold opinions different from ours. We should not force anybody to accept the gospel. We proclaim the message of Christ, but should let people free to welcome it or to reject it and we should remain friends of those who choose to act contrary to what they propose.

We all want to follow Jesus but there are many things which cloud our eyes. We give all sorts of reasons like saying good bye to our beloved, parents etc. If you are travelling out of the country, how many people do you see or visit? (Mt 9:9-13) attended the farewell feast of Matthew to his family and friends.

This is what he wanted to tell us: the mission entrusted to his disciples is much more important and urgent than the one entrusted to Elisha. Time is precious and no instant should be lost. It’s like a sick person who is eagerly waiting for the medicine that will cure him: he would not want the bearer to be delayed by stopping to talk to people he encounters along the way, even if they were his parents.

Don’t we in our communities, families, lose much time on idle questions and other trifling problems while the world urgently needs our proclamation?