Cycle C -- Homily -- 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time -- 26 June 2022

Cycle C – Homily – Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time – 26 June 2022

Also called the Third Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary I                                           Lectionary II

1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21                            1 Kings 19:15, 16, 19-21

Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11                Psalm 16

Galatians 5:1, 13-18                               Galatians 5:1, 13-25

Luke 9:51-62                                         Luke 9:51-62

If you’ve looked over today’s readings, you already know there an innumerable ways any homily could go.  So many possible themes!  Even just in typing that sentence, a myriad of themes rushed into my head.  I invite you for your spiritual exercise this week to do the same.  So many ideas!!

Look at that first reading from 1 Kings.  It is the story of Elijah and Elisha.  That story is always interesting to me at least because of how easy it is to confuse the names (and how often I myself have done that!). But, there is certainly much more to the story than just the names of the principals.  Before he became a physical follower of Elijah, Elisha asked if he could go home and say good-bye to his parents.  Elijah gave permission and Elisha not only kissed his folks good-bye, he also slaughtered his 12 yolk of oxen and cooked it and gave it to his people.  In his absence his folks would be well taken care of.  As a sidelight, think of this.  Elijah used his plowing equipment as fuel to cook the oxen.  We could never do that today because our plowing equipment is made of metal.  But, the point is, when all of Elisha’s obligations were taken care of, he then became a physical follower of Elijah.

When I first looked at these readings, I was struck by an apparent inconsistency.  Why is it, I thought, that in the reading from 1 Kings, Elisha is allowed to go and take care of things before following Elijah but in the Luke reading, Jesus firmly rebukes anyone who puts daily tasks ahead of following the gospel?  After all, “Let the dead bury the dead” is a fairly strong statement!  Meanwhile, Galatians tells us that we are free and then comments about people bickering amongst themselves.

It seems to me that each of these readings has many obscure references and metaphors that we do not readily understand.  We are over 2000 years removed from many of the nuances of meaning in some of the verbal symbolisms used by the ancient writers.

Even so, there is a theme here – a theme readily seen in each of the readings.  That theme is CALL.  Each of these readings has to do with a call and each of these readings intermingles theology with sociology.

The statement “Let the dead bury the dead” is not a prohibition on attending funerals.  Rather, it is a statement about Jewish society.  In the time of Jesus, men could not make certain life changes until after their fathers had died.  Thus, when the man says he will follow Jesus after he buries his father, Jesus told him that societal custom was not a valid reason for not answering the call.

In Galatians we learn that we have the freedom to answer our calls and that our squabbles with each other only interfere with our doing what we have been invited to do.  Keep in mind that the Galatians were societally removed from the Jews in Jesus environs.

When Elisha answers his call, he asks Elijah if he can go first to kiss his parents good-bye.  This is granted.  This does not interfere with answering the call.  Elisha was following his call even if the physical part was on hold.  This is very different than waiting around for who knows how many years until the gospel man’s father dies.  But, look!  Elisha stops to slaughter the oxen and feed his people before he leaves to become Elijah’s attendant.  How did this work in?  Sometimes business must be taken care of as we proceed toward answering a call.  Legitimate business must be completed.  Excuses – societal dictates – cannot be completed!  The line of distinction must be made and observed.  It is really quite clear.  There is a logical line between societal expectations and common sense.  And, the law of the call comes in on the side of common sense.

Everyone is called.  Everyone has a calling.  Sometimes this call can be answered immediately.  Sometimes this call cannot be answered immediately for very valid reasons – such as the valid reason Elisha had.  Sometimes this call is not answered immediately for invalid societal reasons – or societal customs.  Sometimes this call is sidetracked by personal distractions – as in Galatians.  Sometimes this call is not popular.  Every person knows in his/her own heart what the answer to the call must be.

Many of us tend to think that a call to follow Jesus is necessarily a call to ordained ministry.  Oh, we know deep down that that is not so but, for some reason, we think that being called by Jesus is first and foremost being called to some direct church position.  This is not true; so let us look at what we all really do know.

We all know that each of us has a call.  Of course, not all calls are to the ordained priesthood or ministry.  Not all calls are heroic.  Not all calls go beyond the bounds of ordinary everyday life.  Not all calls are popular with family and friends.  Not all calls are lifelong commitment.

The twelve-steppers have a saying about how we should always be doing the next right thing in front of us.  That adage applies to calls too.  Somehow we always know what that next right thing is.  If we act on that next right thing, we will be answering our call.  We have many calls.  Sometimes our call is for something we are asked to do at a single moment in time.  Sometimes our call is something as major as the ordination of the women on the Danube in 2002 – or any ordination, for that matter.  Sometimes our call is known to no one but us.  Sometimes our call makes national or international news.  Sometimes our call is somewhere in between.

It doesn’t matter.  The call is the invitation from God.  And, notice, it is an invitation.  We are never forced to answer a call.  The call is an invitation.  Our God does not cease loving us if we do not answer the call.  But, the call is still there.

Sometimes the call is a temporary invitation or a short term “job” that we are asked to do – help a neighbor, pick up something for someone at the grocery store.  Sometimes the call is a lifelong commitment – a profession, a move across country, a family life change.

We are driven by an inner voice – the voice of God within us.  That voice invites us to do the next right thing in front of us.  That voice invites us to do that task or to be that person or to pursue that dream that our God has envisioned for us.  That voice is there for us to hear and heed.

Interestingly, discernment is always a part of the call.  The discernment may be a momentary appraisal of a situation (how long does it take to figure out how to help a neighbor?) or it may be an extended period of reflection and study (as in pursuing a degree for a new life plan?).  Each task – each call – is different.  We need only listen to our hearts and answer.  If we listen and ask for guidance, we will be able to answer the call – no matter how big, no matter how small – with all of the wherewithal that our God intends.  And we will be able to answer the call with a free will and an open heart.  And the way we answer will be the next right thing in front of us – whether the task is small and immediate or large and career-shifting, whether it involves immediate action or a delay to finish up loose ends.  And regardless, our God will be there with us – always inviting us to answer the call, whatever it may be.  We will hear that call if we listen with our heart

And we didn’t even get into the Galatians reading which reiterates the ultimate call of love – “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  That is the call for all of us.

Dr Roberta M Meehan