Elijah’s comes to Elisha
and throws his cloak over Elisha. The prophetic garment was a symbol of
property rights. Elisha receives his state as both servant and possessor of
Elijah’s powers of miracles. The communication is instantaneous but as often happens
when God calls there are often discussion or reason why this is not the best
time. This call of Elisha is no different. He has an excuse as to why he cannot
respond right way. However, as also happens when God calls, Elisha gets the
picture quickly, leaves his former ways and trustingly follows God’s invitation.
In the Gospel today we
encounter several distinctive and important characteristics. It is literally a
turning point in Luke’s Gospel. From this point on Jesus has turned toward
Jerusalem where he will be lifted up on the cross and raised up after his
resurrection. The word “resolutely” speaks of his determination to fulfill his
identity as priest, prophet and king. From here, Luke presents Jesus as working
slowly upward and directly to the city of Jerusalem. This provides the context
for the next section of today’s reading.
The group travels into a
village of Samaria where they are not welcomed. James and John ask Jesus if
they should call down destructive fires on the Samaritans. Jesus rebukes them
and they leave having better things to do as they journey. The dispute between
Jews and Samaritans is about proper interpretation of scriptures and also about
where exactly the proper place of worship is, in which territory has God truly
appeared. We read about this in John’s Gospel. In the story of the woman at the
well this struggle between the Samaritans and Jews is evident. Even then like now
there is the battle for scriptural turf and possession of the truth.
In the third part of
today’s Gospel we hear about call and response. Three people interact with Jesus
and the disciples. Jesus presents them with the basic principles of being one
of his followers. There is an invitation offered to face the tensions between
selfishness and selflessness; between not wanting to let go and letting go and
letting God. It is not easy because there are always healthy and normal desires
for home and family. The Gospel ends
with an image of perseverance. Jesus seems to be talking of himself as well as
to those who wish to follow him. Faithfulness is never an easy journey.
Jesus stayed faithful to his being raised on the cross. He remains faithful to the ministry and the mission. Our faithfulness is not just to our own personal commitments, but to Jesus’ faithful commitment to being our Savior. Jesus saves us from ourselves, and our attempts at perfection.
Perhaps a few questions
we need to ask ourselves are. How can we live with ourselves who so constantly
are not constant? To whom are we faithful? With Paul we grumble that all the
good we want to do, we do not do and those things we would rather not do, well,
we easily do them. Our baptismal promises center around Jesus being our savior.
Perhaps we just need to live with ourselves, because he does!
Have a blessed and holy Sunday everyone!
Daily
Prayer:
O God, you love us not in some aloof, impersonal way, but with the cherishing
love a good mother pours out on her children; with the adoring love a good
father delights to give the children in his life. With the disciplining love
good parents give their children; with the protecting love shepherds shower on
their lambs. Your love for us now is gift-love, faithful, committed,
unchanging, inextinguishable. Grant us the grace to believe, to follow, to
choose, to experience this love even when it is difficult, even when it doesn’t
make sense, even when everyone else says differently. Grant us the hope of your
eternal love so that we can keep our hands on the plow always look ahead. Amen!
A
Runner’s Thoughts: Let us remember that if we run the spiritual path, God is
the source of our strength, God is our footpath, and God is the finish line. If
we run consciously, with the intention to move closer to the presence of God,
then our movement, the sound of our breath becomes a profession of our faith! (Adapted from Roger Joslin, Running the
Spiritual Path)
Daily
Blessing:
Sunday greetings and blessings to all! I hope this find you well and having a
good beginning to your Sunday. In a few hours I will celebrate the closing mass
of the retreat and then I will be on the road back to New York. I am hoping that
I will get to leave around 10:30 or 11:00 am. It just depends on how well I get
my things together this morning before mass. It has been a good retreat and I
would like to thank you for all the prayers you sent this way for the sisters
and their preacher.
I think
the weather across, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey is supposed to be good today.
There is the chance of storms here in Covington but hopefully I will get on the
road ahead of them. I am hoping the traffic will not be too heavy and that I
will be able to get to New York at a decent hour.
My prayer
of blessing today is that you will be blessed with the spirit of faith to help
you on this journey of life. May you be blessed with the spirit of hope to get
you through the rough times. May you be blessed with the spirit of love to
remind you in whose image and likeness you are created in, how special you are
and that you are never alone. As you journey through this day may you know that
God is with you always and will never leave you to face your struggles alone!
Happy Sunday everyone and remember to give God a little time today! Peace in
Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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