June is the month
for school graduations. In spite of
their uncertain future, there are a confidence and buoyancy in young hearts
that are always refreshing to parents and teachers. They remember the energy with which they themselves
began their journey into the wide world.
In today’s
readings, the theme of journey into the future begins with the first reading
from the Book of Kings. Here we read
that Elijah is tired out and wants to dire.
So God allows him to retire.
First, though, he must pass on his prophetic powers to young Elisha, son
of a rich landowner. Dramatically, he
throws his cloak around Elisha’s shoulders and tells him to leave everything
and follow him. Reluctantly, he allows
Elisha to bid goodbye to his family first.
Elisha burns his plow and slaughters his livestock so that those who are
dependent on him will be provided for.
Then, Elisha’s journey begins.
In the Gospel, Jesus
invites His followers to accompany Him on His journey from Galilee to
Jerusalem. It is a journey filled with
the excitement of healings, miracles, and the rich wisdom of Jesus’ preaching
to the people who eagerly crowd about Him.
Jesus tries His best to warn His disciples of difficulties along the
way. He Himself knows of the death that
awaits Him in Jerusalem, as well as the final triumph of the Resurrection.
Jesus demands even
more than Elijah, saying to His disciples, No
one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for
the kingdom of God. Nothing less
than unconditional surrender of our wills, our goods, and any sinful
attachments are required if we are to be true followers and friends of Jesus. Only this kind of discipleship will bring
success to their mission.
How does one
prepare for such a difficult journey? At
the beginning of His mission, Jesus made a retreat in the desert. What is a retreat all about? A good retreat
always asks three questions: a) Where have I come from? b) Where
am I now? and c) Where am I going? Many people today make a retreat of a week or
three days, or even just one full day.
Each of us has been called by Jesus to follow Him on His difficult
journey to the kingdom. How well have we
done in getting rid of that baggage which hinders our full commitment? Summer
is a good time to spend a day or more to ask ourselves those three crucial
questions.
--Msgr. Paul
Whitmore
pwhitmore29(at)yahoo.com
(reprinted with
permission of the author)
Image source: The
Call of Elisha (below) & Elijah Taken to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire (above), cupola, Chapel of
St. Joseph-des-Carmes, 6e arr., Paris, https://www.patrimoine-histoire.fr/Patrimoine/Paris/Paris-Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes.htm
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