HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II (2)

HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II

THEME: THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS.

BY: Fr. Karabari Paul

HOMILY FOR MONDAY JUNE 27 2022

“Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.”

In the Gospel of today (Matthew 8:18-22), we reflect on the cost of being Jesus’s followers. Although many ancient Jews could read and write, only a small number had regular access to writing and reading materials, and an even smaller portion actually had access to the Scripture. But a scribe had both. A scribe, then, was already well-educated, skilled at reading and writing, and very knowledgeable about the Old Testament books.

Within the elite group of scribes an even more prestigious group of leaders had emerged: experts in teaching and interpreting Scripture. These were “teachers of the law. It was one of these super-elite scholars who declared his intent to choose Jesus as his rabbi/mentor in the passage today. Jesus should have been thrilled by the man’s decision to follow Him. Jesus’ response to the man was unexpected. “The Son of Man has no place to lay his head,” He said. It appears He was actually trying to talk the man out of his decision.

Instead of welcoming the scribe into His fold, Jesus redefined discipleship for him. There would be no prestige waiting for him as a follower of Jesus. Rather, he would have to give up his place of honour among the religious establishment. He would be expected to endure sacrifice, hardship, and a deliberate abandonment of the demand for basic human necessities such as home and hearth. It was going to be all or nothing—just the way Jesus lived it and also the way he intended it to be.

We assume today that, upon hearing Jesus response, this teacher of the law changed his mind about following Jesus. It’s certainly possible this is true, but Matthew doesn’t tell the final outcome of this encounter. So, until we know otherwise, I like to believe this man meant it when he said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go” even when it meant humbling himself and abandoning all the comforts and prestige he had before.

To be a Christian is much more than emotional display in dance at Mass or Church service. It goes beyond the craft of speaking in tongue with uncontrolled shout of Jesus’s name. It is a deeper life of renunciation, sacrifice and obedience. Most of us do not fully realise this. Perhaps, this is the result of how Christianity is presented today especially in Nigeria. Are we really to look at the cost of following Jesus again to see how much we have taken in in relation to what we show outside? Sometimes, we only worship God because of His blessings. So God becomes God only when things are well with us. To be a follower goes beyond such attitude. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God grant you and your household victory in every battle, peace in every storm, and abundance in every desert that this week presents through Christ Our Lord Amen. Please, stay safe. Good morning.

Fr. Karabari Paul