June 26, 2022

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“The Call”

Deacon Kevin O'Boyle

Our readings today focus on one of the common threads we see between God and Man—the call. Throughout salvation history, God has called Prophets, Saints, and everyday people to follow Him. Our readings today focus on a few of these scenes, and in doing so, give us a real picture of what it means to follow Christ.

Our first reading from the 1^st Book of Kings, is the story of the call of Elisha. Elijah is getting on in years, and God tells him to anoint Elisha as prophet to succeed him. As is common in stories of calls there is an initial objection—here Elisha asks to say goodbye to his parents. Elisha, however, shows how committed he is to following Elijah by destroying his plowing equipment and oxen—his old tools of trade. He used them to feed his family, they were his livelihood, which he has now abandoned to follow Elijah as Prophet.

We move to a call in the New Testament in our Second Reading where Paul writes to the Galatians about their Baptismal call to freedom. But Paul warns them not to abuse their newfound freedom. He points out that they should use their freedom to love others, lest they end up consumed by each other. We learned in the first reading that to follow God requires complete commitment to Him, we learn in this reading that following God means following the Commandment “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Finally in the Gospel Luke tells us a few short stories to affirm the commitment God calls for in His followers. First, he rebukes those disciples wanting to call down destruction on a town that did not accept them. The call to love, it seems, applies even to one’s enemies, or those that refuse to welcome you. Another person says he will follow Jesus anywhere, but Jesus points out that following Him means following one who has nowhere to rest. It will not be an easy life. Others ask Jesus if they can bury their dead parents or again say goodbye to his family. Jesus shows just how hard and dedicated the mission to follow Him will be when He says, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God”.

So, what does this mean to us today? Each of us is called through the waters of Baptism to die and rise with Christ. The way we do this will be as varied as the paths God lays out for each of us in life. For each of us, this will mean from time-to-time God will call us in our private lives to follow Him at some cost. While that cost might seem difficult or unreasonable at first, we can always rest assured that God is never outdone in generosity. When we do things at pain to ourselves to follow God, or bring others to Him, we can rest assured that we will be rewarded.

Sometimes, something happens that calls all who call themselves Christians to respond in Love. Such a thing happened in Washington DC on Friday. As you have undoubtedly heard, on Friday morning, through the Grace of God, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe V Wade, ending the so-called constitutional right to abortion in our country. This has resulted in actual threats of violence from those committed to the slaughter of countless babies a year through abortion. As Christians, we are called to Love. Love. A good example of this may be demonstrated in ways we find to do good for mothers in an unexpected and difficult pregnancy. Regularly there are lists in our parish bulletin of local organizations- crisis pregnancy centers – that are there to support these mothers. It is on page 6 this week.  These operations often rely on donations and volunteers to do their work. Perhaps that is a call to some of us. 

Our call to Love will go much further than matching the threats of others. Who knows, in addition to saving some babies, that Love might even turn some hearts. And of course, our work here is not done. What this Court decision did was not end abortions—it just said there was no federally guaranteed right to them. Now, the focus shifts to the states, where each legislature can craft when and how abortions will be allowed in their state. Unfortunately, New Jersey has already passed a terrible law that guarantees abortion on demand in our state.  That gives us a whole new battleground to protect the unborn. It is a call by God. How will we answer? That is something to think about this week. God Bless