by: Deacon Paul Rooney (deaconpaul@cox.net)
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Cycle "C" - June 27, 2004)

Q. 273: Doesn't Jesus seem to be a little bit tough on people in the gospel story (Lk 9:51-62), not even letting them bury their dead or say goodbye to families, and even promising a homeless environment if they follow him?

A. 273: It ought to be and is a sobering challenge to anyone who desires to become a Catholic. You are asked to never deviate from the truth expressed in scripture and the two-century tradition of magisterial teachings by the bishops. You are asked to assent to those truths, and always to grant religious respect to the teachings. It can be tough to risk being a Catholic.

Something like that is going on with Jesus and his three dialogue partners. To the first he promises not even a bed nor a pillow to those who choose to answer his call to follow him; are they willing to risk homelessness? To the second person, he says that you can't wait around until your parents are dead. Don't wait around for death; instead, start spreading life by proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. Finally, to the third person Jesus says that the time to decide about whether or not you want to follow Jesus is now. The relationship with Jesus takes priority even over close tribal and family bonds. A farmer knows that if he looks back while plowing, his attention will be diverted from his objective (i.e., plowing in a straight-line). The same with risking to follow Jesus: it is a time for total commitment and unwavering single-minded trust.

Those were tough things to absorb in Jesus' time and in that patriarchal culture. But soon Jesus would be using even tougher images, calling for belief that only by "eating his body" and "drinking his blood" would they attain eternal life. In the meantime, we can look back at the response of Elisha (First Reading: 1 Kgs 19:16b,19-21) for an example of someone called from ordinary daily tasks who responded properly to all three dilemmas posed in the gospel.

Know Your Catechism! How "total" is your commitment to accept Jesus' invitation to follow him, as well as accepting any privation and persecution that may result from that (CCC #520, 1816)? The call to daily discipleship comes in our ordinary daily activities -- this is the arena of our response to God's call (CCC #2427). Today, reflect on and renew your Baptism promises, which are all about committed discipleship.

Deacon Paul Rooney
Mary Our Queen Parish, Omaha