Daily Readings - Sun Jun 30 2019
1 Kings
16And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place.19So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him.20And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?"21And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.
Galatians
1For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.13For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."15But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.17For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Luke
51When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.52And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.53But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.54And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"55But he turned and rebuked them.56And they went on to another village.57As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."58And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."59To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."60And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."61Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home."62Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful lessons about commitment, freedom, and the call to follow God without reservation. The first reading from 1 Kings tells the story of Elijah calling Elisha to be a prophet. Elisha, though deeply rooted in his life as a farmer, leaves everything behind—his oxen, his family, and his familiar routines—to follow Elijah. This act of radical obedience is a testament to the transformative power of God’s call. Elisha’s willingness to let go of the familiar and step into the unknown reflects the kind of trust and surrender that faith demands.
The second reading from Galatians shifts our focus to the nature of freedom. Paul reminds us that our freedom in Christ is not a license for self-indulgence but an invitation to live in service to others. He warns against allowing our fleshly desires to dominate us, urging us instead to be guided by the Spirit. This reading challenges us to consider how we use our freedom: do we use it to serve one another in love, or do we allow it to lead us into division and selfishness? True freedom, Paul teaches, is found in living according to the Spirit and fulfilling the law of love.
In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus resolutely journeying toward Jerusalem, knowing the suffering that awaits him. Along the way, he encounters resistance and potential followers who are hesitant to commit fully. Jesus’ responses to them are striking: he rebukes the disciples who seek revenge, and he challenges would-be followers to prioritize the kingdom of God above all else. These exchanges underscore the cost of discipleship. Following Jesus is not a part-time endeavor; it requires total commitment and a willingness to let go of worldly attachments.
These readings call us to reflect on our own lives. Are we like Elisha, willing to leave behind comfort and security to follow God’s call? Or are we like the hesitant followers in the Gospel, allowing fear or attachment to hold us back? The readings remind us that true freedom and fulfillment are found not in clinging to our own desires but in surrendering to God’s will and living in love and service to others. As we navigate our own journeys, may we embrace the radical commitment required to follow Christ, trusting that in doing so, we will find the freedom and purpose for which we were created.