ON THE WAY TO JERUSALEM

ON THE WAY TO JERUSALEM

(A biblical reflection on the 13^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [Year C] – 26 June 2022)

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:51-62
 
First Reading: 1Kings 19;6,19-21; Psalms: Psalm 16:1-2,5-11; Second Reading: Galatians 5:1,13-18
 
The Scripture Text
When the days drew near for Him to be received up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem. And He sent messengers ahead of Him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for Him; but the people would not receive Him, because His face was set toward Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do You want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?” But He turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.
As they were going along the road, a man said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head.” To another He said, “Follow Me.” But He said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.  (Luke 9:51-62 RSV)
 
The life of Jesus was a journey through this world until He finally returned to heaven. The good news for us is that heaven if the goal of our pilgrimage too. It is an end well worth the cost of single-minded dedication and detachment.
 
As Jesus’ mission on earth drew to a close, “He set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). In Jerusalem, which symbolizes the entirety of God’s plan, both old and new, Jesus accomplished the Father’s will by His death, resurrection, and ascension (Luke 9:31). As a result of Jesus’ obedience, the Holy Spirit was poured out and the Kingdom of God advanced throughout the world.
 
Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem, determined to fulfil His Father’s plan for Him. He turned His back on everything that would prevent Him from accomplishing God’s will. He had faith that the Father was His inheritance, His chosen portion and cup (Psalm 16:5). Therefore, He surrendered His life to His Father. Jesus knew that there was “fullness of joy” in the Father’s presence – that in His “right hand are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).
 
Like Jesus, we too must set our faces toward Jerusalem. To glorify the Father as Jesus did means we also will undergo suffering and persecution as He did. We can take courage, however, because Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33) and in Him we too overcome. To be victorious in Christ, we are called to accept the Father’s will and follow Jesus without reservation.
 
Following Jesus requires that we surrender ourselves to Him and place our security in Him alone. Jesus relied only on the Father for His security and thus had “nowhere to lay His head” in this world (Luke 9:58). Like Jesus, we need to put aside everything and preach the Kingdom of God: “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60). Finally, we cannot look back to the past but need to look forward to the future. One who plows does not look back to see if his furrows are straight (Luke 9:62). With hope and expectation, we keep our eyes fixed on God, trusting in His sovereignty and having confidence that His plan will be fulfilled in us.
 
These proverbs are reflections on what is required to be a disciple of Christ. Jesus calls us not to “save” our lives, but to sacrifice them as well as all our worldly treasures for Him, just as He did for the Father. In so doing, we will find fullness of life and know that God is our inheritance.
 
Prayer: Heavenly Father, open our eyes to the majesty of our heavenly home. May this vision compel us forward as we seek Jesus, the pearl of great price. Jesus, we want to be with You forever! Amen.
 
Jakarta, 25 June 2022
 
A Christian Pilgrim
 

 

JESUS DETERMINED TO GO TO JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM: 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time [Year C] – Luke 9:51-62

Jakarta, 30 June 2019

A Christian Pilgrim

 

IT IS INDEED NOT EASY TO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST

IT IS INDEED NOT EASY TO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST

(A biblical reflection on the 13^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [Year C] – June 30, 2019)

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:51-62 

First Reading: 1Kings 19:16,19-21; Psalms: Psalm 16:1-2,5-11; Second Reading: Galatians 5:1,13-18 

The Scripture Text

When the days drew near for Him to be received up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem. And He sent messengers ahead of Him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for Him; but the people would not receive Him, because His face was set toward Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do You want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?” But He turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.

As they were going along the road, a man said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head.” To another He said, “Follow Me.” But He said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.  (Luke 9:51-62 RSV)

After the death of King Solomon, the Jewish nation divided into two kingdoms with Israel in the north and Judah in the south. In 72 B.C., the Assyrians attacked and captured Israel and sent most (but not all) of the people into exile. Some Jews who remained behind married Assyrian immigrants. Because these people settled in Samaria, we call their descendants Samaritans.

Since the Samaritans were part Jewish and part Assyrian, the Jews despised them and would not allow them to worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. The Samaritans responded by declaring their own temple on Mount Gerizim the only place where they could legitimately offer sacrifices to God. The Samaritans also used their own version of the Sacred Scriptures during their religious services.

The animosity between Jews and Samaritans was evident in other ways. Because Samaritans were hostile towards Jews who travelled through Samaria, most Jews would not pass through Samaritan territory even if doing so would have saved them several days of travel. Jews who did take a shortcut usually shook the dust from their feet before entering Jewish land so they wouldn’t contaminate Jewish land with Samaritan dirt. This tension between these two peoples explains why the Samaritan did not welcome Jesus in today’s Gospel.

Today’s Gospel reading ends with a story about three potential followers. Jesus reminds one man that foxes have lairs and birds have nests but He and His apostles have nowhere to live. Being wandering preachers, Jesus and the apostles must have spent many nights sleeping under the stars instead of in a warm, comfortable house. Jesus asks the man if he is willing to give up the security of having a roof over his head in order to be a disciple.

The second man want to bury his father first, a father who some biblical scholars think was not dead or even close to death. They suggests the man’s excuse most likely means something like, “I can’t follow you while my father is still alive, but someday he’ll be dead and then I’ll join you.” Jesus rejects this response and challenges the man to put discipleship before everything else, even family.

The third man wants to return home to put his affairs in order. This man is like a farmer who, while plowing his field, risks hitting a large rock or some other obstacle because he keeps looking back. The farmer might hurt himself or damage his plow because he is distracted. We, too, must set our sights on Jesus and not let worldly successes or material possessions divert our attention from our heavenly goal.

(Adapted from Jerome J. Sabatowich, Cycling Through the Gospels – Gospel Commentaries for Cycles A, B, and C, pages 294-295.)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, through baptism You call us to follow You. It is indeed easy for us to offer words “I will be Your follower/disciple wherever You go”. Please let the Holy Spirit guide us so we can be sure that we know what is required. And, help us not to let anything else preventing us from being a more committed disciples, e.g. security, family, success, etc. We also realize that we cannot force others to follow You, so we pray for a patient love. Amen.

Jakarta, 28 June 2019 [Solemnity of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus] 

A Christian Pilgrim

 

JESUS DETERMINED TO JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM: 13th ORDINARY SUNDAY [YEAR C] – LUKE 9:51-62

Jakarta, 26 June 2016

A Christian Pilgrim