Daily Readings - Sun Jun 26 2022
1 Kings
16Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.19So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.20Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you.Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?"21So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.
Galatians
1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."15If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
Luke
51As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.52And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him;53but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.54When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"55But Jesus turned and rebuked them,56and they went to another village.57As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."58Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."59He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."60Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."61Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good bye to my family."62Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful lessons on commitment, trust, and living according to God's will. The first reading from 1 Kings illustrates Elisha's immediate and complete response to Elijah's call. Elisha's actions—slaughtering his oxen and distributing the meat—symbolize his unwavering trust in God's plan, leaving behind worldly concerns to follow his prophetic calling. This story reminds us that true commitment to God requires sacrifice and trust.
The second reading from Galatians balances freedom in Christ with the responsibility to serve others. Paul warns against using liberty for selfish desires, emphasizing that our freedom should manifest in loving service to others. He highlights the internal struggle between flesh and spirit, urging us to be led by the Spirit to fulfill God's will. This teaches us that living a spiritual life is not about personal gain but about selfless love and service.
In the Gospel, Jesus's journey to Jerusalem and his encounters with potential followers challenge us to prioritize God's kingdom above all else. Jesus's rebuke of his disciples' vengeance and his radical call to discipleship emphasize that following Him requires letting go of worldly attachments. These readings collectively call us to trust in God's plan, live selflessly, and commit fully to our faith, just as Elisha, Paul, and the disciples were called to do. May we embrace this call with courage and faith, trusting in God's providence as we journey through life.