HOMILY FOR THE 13TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C (4)

HOMILY FOR THE 13TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C

THEME: DEMANDS OF DISCIPLESHIP

BY: Rev Fr Stephen ‘Dayo Osinkoya

HOMILY FOR SUNDAY JUNE 26 2022

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

As Christians, we have all received the call to follow Christ all our life. But the way and manner we respond to his call shows if we actually know the identity and the personality of the one who calls us. The first reading and the gospel both present us with the reward of discipleship, the tension that can arise between responding to God’s call and maintaining family commitments.
In the first reading, the prophet Elijah approached Elisha as instructed by the Lord. Elisha who was ploughing in the field received the mantle of Elijah; the mantle a symbol of Elijah’s call to be a prophet. Elisha’s response was “Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you.” (1 Kings 19:20) Even though it remained uncertain whether Elisha did go back to kiss his parents goodbye, but the narrative continues to tell us how Elisha slaughtered his
oxen, burns his farming tools to cook the meat, then followed Elijah.

In the gospel, Jesus offers us insights into the demands of discipleship. First, disciples must be ready to sacrifice stability of place: “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to rest his head.” (Luke 9:8). Second, disciples cannot delay, to bury the dead or to bid farewell to relatives and friends. “Let the dead bury the dead.” (Luke 9:59-62)
These insights remind us that disciples must be thoroughly devoted with a love of transcendentalgoodness that is beyond all other loves. We are all called and challenged to be Christ’s disciples.
But are we ready to let go of everything that is capable of holding us back?

To be true disciples of Jesus Christ we must be ready to let go of people (friends and family alike) and things. Jesus is not in any way suggesting that we should not love and honour our family members; our parents in particular. What he is asking us is the placement of our priority.
“Your duty is to spread the news of God’s Kingdom.” (Luke 9:60)

To be a true disciple also calls for total commitment to the task and to be single-minded in purpose. Jesus is asking us to concentrate on the future and forget about the past. There is no turning back. To be Christ’s disciples is to be truly free; freedom from earthly desires, passion and attachment.

St Paul in his letter to the Galatians urges us to today to be truly free, because we have been called to live in freedom. Hence, we have to throw away the yoke of slavery (just as Elisha burnt the yoke and followed Elijah).

Beloved in Christ, we profess ourselves to be Christians by the virtue of our baptism; hence, we have all been called to follow Christ. Have we fully responded to this call? We are challenged today to re-examine whatever attachments may be holding us back from a liberated and joyful
following of Christ.

*Rev Fr Stephen ‘Dayo Osinkoya*