THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(I Kings
19:16b.19-21; Galatians 5:1.13-18; Luke 9:51-62)
With the
coming holidays of national independence, it is worth reflecting on the second
reading. St. Paul treats the ever-provocative theme of freedom. However, he
does not think of freedom in the same way that we tend to think of it. We think
of freedom as the removal of external restrictions. Slaves by the whip were
prohibited from doing what they thought best. As human beings they deserved
freedom. Still today many work under physically harsh conditions to survive.
They seek freedom from their hard burdens. Paul has another conception of freedom in mind when he writes, "For freedom Christ
set us free…”
For Paul,
the freedom of Christ releases men and women from disordered passions. He has
freed us from the inner urge to drink excessively and to run away from every
uncomfortable situation. The unfortunate truth is that our internal
dispositions can be an autocrat even more exacting than the whip or the demands
of a boss. Just look at the way drug addicts ruin their lives for a few moments
of pleasure.
The gospel
today shows Jesus beginning the journey that will result in our deliverance. It
says, "...he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.” He knows that the cross awaits him
in the holy city, but he will not go out of his way to avoid it. By dying on
the cross and rising from the dead, Jesus will defeat the forces of evil. These
forces, which awaken inordinate passions, keep us as captives.
Jesus'
emphasis on the discipline of his discipleship stands out in this gospel. He
says, in contrast to our sensibilities, that it is more important to follow
Christ than to bury our parents. In this way Jesus shows that his mission
surpasses that of the great prophet Elisha. The prophet returned to his house
to say goodbye to his people. In contrast, Jesus says that his disciples should
not even look back once they decide to follow him.
However,
this saying should not be taken as an excuse, much less a demand, to ignore
filial responsibilities. Jesus would never say that it is not necessary to keep
the fourth commandment. The Christian life offers us a great opportunity to
serve our relatives together with the people of God. The saying, "Let the
dead bury their dead," only emphasizes that his first priority is to save
the world. Just so for us: the first priority is to support Jesus’ liberating
work against human tendencies to sin.
A man, well
known in his place, was an alcoholic. Many years ago he overcame this inner compulsion
with the support of "Alcoholics Anonymous." Now this man participates
in the discipleship of Jesus by encouraging other alcoholics to reform. In the
process he has made himself really happy. This is just one example among
millions of what St. Paul means when he writes: ""For
freedom Christ set us free…”
