OMELIE / Omelie EN

26 giu 2022

26/06/2022 – 13th Sunday in O. T. - year C

26/06/2022 – 13^th Sunday in O. T. - year C

Reading 1 1KINGS 19, 16.19-21 Psalm 15 Reading 2 GAL 5, 1.13-18 Gospel LK 9, 51-62

Let’s start from the last words read: “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God”. Jesus makes use of a popular proverb to help us think of our choices and decide on our faithfulness to Him. They who are managing the plow dragged by the calves need to concentrate all the attention so the furrow comes out straight and deep: they cannot look away, not even for checking if what they have already done is done properly. It is a beautiful, meaningful image: are you following Jesus? Do not look somewhere else, do not even try to enjoy the steps you have already taken, do not stop to look at the results obtained and the good you have done. Keep only always looking at Jesus: He is your joy, He is your pride, your goal, the object of your efforts.

Whoever decides to stay with Him needs to know and live the above, every Christian, if they do not want to waste time or lose track. Every disciple will pay attention to the suggestions the Lord has given to those three who asked if they could remain with Him.

He does not own worldly things, He “has nowhere to rest his head”: His disciple will not ask Jesus for a chance to increase his capital, he will not use the faith and membership to the Church as a way to reach economical security or to be comfortable in a material way. They who pray or take part in the divine mysteries according to these reasons fool themselves and others, and very soon they will leave the path of spiritual salvation to go after every other idol of this world.

They who want to be with Jesus need to be able to manage and focus all their human affections, even their sacred relationships with their relatives. They will have to know that the Kingdom of God, the one Jesus rules upon, is for everyone, also for the relatives, more important than taking part in celebrations and social pretenses.

They who want to be with Jesus need to be disciples ready to obey Him instead of very old habits. Everything they do, they will do it following the Word of the Lord and they will not let themselves be influenced by what their relatives think or say.

They who are with Jesus do not even follow their own reasoning based on the Sacred Scriptures. This is something even the two disciples, the ‘eldest’ of the group, realise. John and James are showing off about knowing what Elijah had done: as he behaved with the pagans, so they would like to cast too a punishment from God on the Samaritans, who did not want to take Jesus in during His journey towards Jerusalem. They too although follow Him dragging their feet, knowing that it is going to end with their Master’s persecution. Jesus rebukes them: they have yet to learn from Him God’s tenderness and mercy, so they have yet to take seriously His sweetness and patience, not even the words with which He has shown Himself healer for the sick and saviour for the sinners.

He, Jesus, has really decided to fulfill the Father’s will, even if it might cost His life. He is decisively walking towards the Holy City, Jerusalem. From Him we can learn, and from His firmness we receive courage and faith, and serenity in our faithfulness.

By deciding to follow Jesus we will understand and share Elisha’s joy. He has understood Elijah’s actions, who has called him to share his prophetic ministry. In order to show the joy of his obedience Elisha prepared a great feast in his home for his servants. He was ready to leave everything in a rush, because the task he had received was important for the people ‘s faith.

Great and beautiful examples help us to welcome the apostle’s advice: “You were called for freedom, .

but do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another”. We have been given a great freedom: in order to preserve it with all its beauty, we will live it as a vocation. God is calling us to be free, to have the freedom of the children who love and serve, not that of the slaves who are trying to escape. The freedom of the children loved and loving is needed to follow Jesus putting ourselves at the disposal of God’s love and His love for the world.

Introduce me to a person with more freedom than one who follows and serves Jesus if you can! Show me, of you can, a person more joyful than one who follows and serves Jesus! Who falls in love with Him to the point he does not want to own anymore worldly things and he does not let himself influence by humanly affections, experiences the new and true freedom, and therefore the joy which cannot be stolen away by anyone or anything.