today's readings are 1 Kings 19: 16, 19-21; Psalm 16; Galatians 5: 1, 13-18 and Lk. 9: 51-62
In today’s 1st reading, Elisha is called by the Lord to be the helper and successor of the prophet Elijah. And when Elijah comes to recruit Elisha, Elisha is willing to say yes, but with one condition - he wants to kiss his mother and father goodbye first.
Elijah responds harshly to Elisha’s desire to go home first. “Go back!” the prophet says to him. What he really means is, “Who needs you anyway?”
Why does Elijah take such a hard stance?
Well, because it actually is God who is calling Elisha, not Elijah. Think about it this way - say Pope Francis called you on the phone and ask you to meet him in Rome this Tuesday, what do you think your reaction would be? Wouldn’t you drop everything and book your flight right away? So, Elisha's request indicates that he doesn’t fully understand or appreciate who it is that is calling him – it is God – and what an honour it is to receive such a call.
But boy does Elijah's harsh response wake up Elisha. Elisha now turns into a man on fire with the desire to serve God. We hear that he decides to slaughter all the oxen he was plowing with when Elijah called him. Elisha uses their yokes for firewood to roast the oxen, and he gives the flesh to his servants to eat. Why is he doing all this?
Elisha is making sure that he can’t go home now. How could he, after what he did to the family oxen and their yokes?
So, what we can we learn from this story? Quite a bit. First, notice that Elisha receives his call from the Lord while he is busy with his daily tasks. This frequently happens in the Bible. Moses and David were taking care of their flocks, and Gideon was threshing wheat, when God called them. Simon Peter and Andrew were washing their fishing nets when called by Jesus, Matthew was at his stall when collecting taxes. And there are many more examples. And what happened to the great prophets and apostles happens also to you and me. Frequently the call of God to come and follow comes to us in the most mundane moments of our daily lives.
Secondly, the call comes to each one of us. It first came to you on the day you were conceived and then later born. And it definitely came on the day you were baptized and then later confirmed. In fact, God is incredibly persistent – He is constantly calls you to follow him and serve him.
Thirdly, when God calls, we are meant to answer, now, and not later. No putting God on hold. That's why in the Gospel reading Jesus says that no one who sets his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of Heaven.
Fourthly. God asked a lot of Elisha – to give up his family and livelihood to serve Him. Jesus asked a lot of Simon Peter and Andrew and Matthew. What was asked of them may seem overwhelming to us. But remember this. In the vast majority of cases, he call to follow Jesus usually happens within the reality and circumstances of our lives. To illustrate, let me share with you a story of the legendary American football player, Gale Sayers.
Gale Sayers was a running back for the Chicago Bears, and is generally considered the best running back in the NFL in the late 1960's. Sadly, his career was cut short by two major knee injuries. After he retired, Sayers went on to become a very successful businessman and philanthropist, and later wrote an autobiography titled I Am Third. In this book he outlined his belief that as a committed Christian, he needed to keep the following in mind when it came to carrying out his everyday duties and tasks: my God is first, my family is second, and I am third. By making God first, his family second, and himself third in all the circumstances of his life, Sayers found his way to follow Jesus as a businessman, family man and Christian.
Every single one of us is called to follow the Lord in all aspects of our lives. And remember, there are no excuses when the Lord calls. The question is - will you answer?