Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
I was watching news about the recovery in the housing sector yesterday. And a phrase that I love kept being repeated again and again. They said, the mortgage rates will rise and if you are thinking about buying or refinancing its time to stop “sitting on the fence.”
Stop “sitting on the fence!” That is what today’s readings are all about. In the first reading, the young Elisha is called by the prophet Elijah to follow him as his attendant. Before Elisha follows him, he seeks Elijah’s permission to bid his family goodbye. Elijah concedes to the request and eventually Elisha follows him. Even though this passage has a striking parallel in today’s gospel reading, there is also a striking contrast. Jesus refuses to give the man who wanted to bury his father before following Jesus the concession that Elijah gave to Elisha. Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury the dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” In other words, “stop sitting on the fence.”
Let me offer three points for reflection:
a) To understand Jesus’ rather radical sayings, perhaps we will first have to understand where Jesus is in his life journey. Peter had just confessed Jesus as the messiah. Once the disciples were aware of his identity as the messiah, Jesus began to reveal to them that his messiahship was one that would involve suffering and death. As if to affirm his identity, Jesus takes his disciples up the mountain and he is transfigured. Then, one more time Jesus predicts his impending suffering and death. And then we have today’s passage where Luke gives an important detail which is easy to miss. Luke says, “… he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.”
Here is the point I am trying to make – When people came up to Jesus wanting to follow him; or when Jesus called people and they either hesitated or wanted to “bury my father,” Jesus rather harsh response must be understood as a two-pronged conversation. On the one hand he was talking to himself. Perhaps he was convincing himself that, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” Jesus himself has set his hand on the plough (read ‘the cross’); he has set his face toward Jerusalem (read ‘calvary’). Many times he will be tempted to avoid his passion and death. Perhaps he will be tempted to turn and look back. But he must “leave the dead to bury the dead,” and move on toward the path of life that his Father had set for him. On the other hand, he is also talking to his disciples. If they have to find their identity in his, they will have to prepare to come after him even though he has “no where to lay his head.” They will have to leave themselves and their egos behind. After Jesus’ resurrection, if the kingdom of God must spread they will have to imitate him. Once they set their hands on the plough there is no turning back.
Today’s readings emphasize the radicalness of Christian discipleship. Following Christ is not for those who like to sit on the fence. There is nothing called “fair weather Christianity.” Either you are all in with Jesus and what he stands for or you are out. That is the example of Jesus himself. Once he set his hands on the plough there was no looking back. And thank God he did not look back because then there would be no salvation for us.
b) “Let the dead bury the dead.” What does this mean? There are as many interpretations of this saying as there are commentaries. And the interpretations range from simple one’s like “those who follow Jesus have new life and those who don’t are spiritually dead,” to more complex ones where this saying has to do with the Jewish practice of “second-burial.” Let me avoid both the utterly simplistic and the more complex explanations. Here is one way to look at this saying. In all probability, this man’s father was still alive. In the Jewish tradition, the “father’s house” meant the entire household. As a son, he had obligations both to the father and his household. Perhaps then, this man wanted to fulfill the duties toward his father and mother that the Law prescribed, settle the family affairs and then put his hands on the plough.
Jesus refused this man that privilege. On the one hand this saying captures the radicalness of Jesus’ call. But on the other hand, this is also a commentary on human nature. We are always inclined to postpone the inevitable. Just think how many times we postpone paying bills, cleaning up the house, straightening up a broken relationship, going to the hospital, finishing homework or a paper, recovering from an addiction, going to the sacrament of reconciliation or even picking up our prayer life. This can also happen when it comes to preparing for eternity. This can certainly happen when it comes to following Jesus as radical disciples. There is always another day. I have a bumper sticker in my bible that says, “Those who wait for the eleventh hour die at ten-thirty.” So many people die before they have accomplished what they wanted to do. What if we were to die before we put their hands on the plough? Imagine dying before throwing our weight completely behind Jesus; imagine that you always wanted to be a radical disciple and died without ever accomplishing that. I think that Jesus is saying that the time to follow Jesus radically is NOW! Those who postpone may not make it. These are the dead people. Let these dead people bury those other dead who postpone hearing God’s call. But you, yes, you who want to follow Jesus, do it NOW.
c) In this third point, I will try to bring my first point and second point together. “We are called for freedom. “ Paul says to us in today’s second reading, “For freedom Christ has set us free.” The context of Paul’s statement is the Law. Paul was saying that it was not necessary to be circumcised, to submit oneself to that Law, in order to experience the grace of God. God’s grace and spirit is not dependent of anything we do but rather is given to those who believe. But it is the verses right after this statement that is truly enlightening. Paul continues. “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. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus earlier had said that the whole law in fulfilled in two statements: “Love God with all your heart,” and Love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words, freedom comes from transcending your ‘self.’ Freedom comes when we have transcended the ‘self’ to love God beyond our self and our neighbor in the same way. Unless we transcend the ‘self’, we will keep putting our hands on the plough and look back. Unless we transcend the ‘self’ we will never be radical disciples. Unless we transcend the ‘self,’ we will be the dead burying the dead. Unless we transcend our self, we will be satisfied with ‘religion’ but never take up radical discipleship.
- Fr. Satish Joseph