YEAR B: HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (1)
YEAR B: HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS
BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon
HOMILY:
(Mt. 8:18-22) Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
In the day’s Gospel we have the version of Matthew of yesterday’s Gospel. The same message is being given – follow the Lord without reserve and in full commitment. Jesus was being honest in saying that a disciple is so focused and moved by the urgency of the coming of the Kingdom that he is not in need of a resting place. Furthermore, even burying the dead does not merit as a reason to be delayed and derailed in the proclamation of the Kingdom.
This is something that many Christians had taken lightly and for granted. Jesus was serious in telling us the need to be concerned always with salvation. The disciple does not rest. There are no days when the journey towards the Kingdom is set aside. Everything we say and do are always in regard to the Kingdom. We are always mindful of what God will say rather than what others will say. We are more concerned with how we gain spiritual riches rather than material riches. Not that material riches, power, fame, and other worldly things are not important. God comes first. Jesus gave a lot of teachings on this; “Seek first the Kingdom and all will be given unto you.”
“What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but suffers the lost of his own soul.” The rich young man who sought the Kingdom was on target. But he was challenged by Jesus to sell everything and follow Jesus. It turned out that eternal life was not enough reason for him to sell everything. He loved more his riches. His riches comes first. He cannot have both God and mammon.
The tax collector , Zacchaeus, was different. Thankful of Jesus visit to his house in spite of the hatred of the Jews to him, he responded to Jesus’ call. He publicly proclaimed that the would give half of his belongings to the poor and to those he defrauded, he will pay them back fourfold! How we wish every sinner does that! Zacchaeus saw in Jesus the Kingdom. For him, he is willing to give up everything to attain eternal life. He got Jesus’ message. He got the Kingdom. Do you?
