Readings for Sunday June 27th, 2010 How goes your Journey?

Readings for Sunday June 27th, 2010 13th Sunday in Ordinary time

How goes your Journey?

The first verse of Sunday’s Gospel reading is an important transition in Luke’s Gospel. It is the first hint from Jesus that he intends to go to Jerusalem. His journey will take the next 9 ½ chapters, ending with his final destination “JERUSALEM”
So I ask you, how goes your Journey? Are you letting Jesus take wheel or are you trying to do the steering yourself? As for myself I have been trying to follow Christ my whole life, most of the times I feel like I am on steady ground, but then there are times when I feel like my feet are slipping and I am losing my balance and the only thing there is for me to grab on to is Jesus. So many other times throughout my life I have prayed, “I have no idea where I am going, I cannot see the road ahead of me, I am not sure where it will lead me”. But there have also been many times when I have patted myself on the back saying “Hey, Tommyk you’re doing good, you have nothing to worry about, but the fact is just because I think I am following Jesus, doesn’t actually mean I am.
It’s like this, I’m walking in a crowd behind Jesus and I’m hoping that he will choose me as one of his disciples. Without warning, he turns around, looks straight into my eyes, and says, “Follow me!” My heart races, and I begin to run toward Him when he interrupts with, “oh, not you; the guy behind you, Sorry.” Or maybe I may stop and say (that’s if I were chosen) Oh Jesus, can you give me a minute while I run home and get my “Cell phone”.
When we were young and were first starting out on our journey we remained aware of God in every part of our life. I once read about a three year old named Jack who asked his mother where God is. She answered “Why, God is everywhere.” So Jack started a search through every room of the house. He searched out all the likely places, calling out: “Hi, God. Are you there?” Jack was not to upset when not even a trace of God was to be found.
Do we find ourselves calling out, trying to locate God’s whereabouts; do we wait around long enough for His response?
In closing I would like to remind you that we are all called by our Baptismal promise to minister to one another and yet today’s teenagers have less adult contact than any generation in human history.” So I challenge all you adults(who may read this) to step up, be a guiding light to our youth, or like the three men in the Gospel we can choose stay home and take care of business. IHN, tommyk

Reading 1 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21

16b The LORD said to Elijah: “You shall anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, as prophet to succeed you.” 19 Elijah set out and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him. 20 Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you.” Elijah answered, “Go back! Have I done anything to you?”21 Elisha left him, and taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to his people to eat. Then Elisha left and followed Elijah as his attendant.


Reading II Galatians 5:1, 13-18

1 Brothers and sisters:
For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
13 For you were called for freedom, brothers and sisters. But do not use this freedom
as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
15 But if you go on biting and devouring one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.
16 I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh.
17 For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;
these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. 18 But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Question : Why does Paul speak of the law favorably and unfavorably in practically the same breath?


Gospel
Luke 9:51-62

51 When the days for Jesus’ being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, 52 and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, 53 but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” 55 Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they journeyed to another village.
57 As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”59 And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” 60 But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” 62 To him Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”



Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think Jesus rebuked St. James and St. John?

2. Describe the ‘resolute determination’ of Jesus. How can your love for God be more resolute and steadfast?

3. How well do your daily actions show that you follow Christ? What could you do to better lead by example? Describe.