13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
27 June 2010
First reading 1 Kings 19:16,19-21
The Lord said to Elijah, ‘You are to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king of Israel, and to anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel Meholah, as prophet to succeed you.’
Leaving there, Elijah came on Elisha son of Shaphat as he was ploughing behind twelve yoke of oxen, he himself being with the twelfth. Elijah passed near to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother, then I will follow you’ he said. Elijah answered, ‘Go, go back; for have I done anything to you?’ Elisha turned away, took the pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He used the plough for cooking the oxen, then gave to his men, who ate. He then rose, and followed Elijah and became his servant.
Psalm or canticle: Psalm 15:1-2,5,7-11
Second reading Galatians 5:1,13-18
When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. My brothers, you were called, as you know, to liberty; but be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence. Serve one another, rather, in works of love, since the whole of the Law is summarised in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself. If you go snapping at each other and tearing each other to pieces, you had better watch or you will destroy the whole community.
Let me put it like this: if you are guided by the Spirit you will be in no danger of yielding to self-indulgence, since self-indulgence is the opposite of the Spirit, the Spirit is totally against such a thing, and it is precisely because the two are so opposed that you do not always carry out your good intentions. If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you.
Gospel Luke 9:51-62
As the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him. These set out, and they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him, but the people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?’ But he turned and rebuked them, and they went off to another village.
As they travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’
Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’
Reflection
By Rose Guevarra Markell
I remember I had once an employer who was a Jew and she doesn't believe in God or religion. At that time, I have to take care of an elderly lady who was entrusted under her and the old lady happened to be a catholic. She doesn't have any relatives and was all alone. I made it clear to my employer that I am a catholic like the old lady and that I need to go to church and I intend to take the lady with me whenever I go to church to hear mass. My employer respected my wish and she herself would drive us to the church every Sunday. She even sat with us twice inside the church until the priest of that church made a mistake by calling my Jewish employer a "princess" which I learned, was an insult to the Jewish people. Since that incident, my employer has never again joined us inside the church.
This story is relevant to the reactions of the apostles who wanted to bring fire and destroy those who did not welcome and believe in Jesus, and the story in the Old Testament about those who despised the prophet are destroyed by the fire of God. However, Jesus reacted differently. He rebuked the apostles for their reactions, did not harm anyone who did not receive Him and just went to another village.
Dear Lord, please let us hold our tongues when speaking so as not to harm others even if it was done unintentionally. Make us learn and keep our respect for others who differ in our ways. Please help us to follow you always. Amen.
Mission To Serve
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