June 30, 2003 - Monday, 13th Week in Ordinary Time

I WILL FOLLOW YOU WHEREVER YOU GO

Readings:
Gen 18:16-33; Ps 103:1b-2, 3-4, 8-9, 10-11; Mt 8:18-22

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
we share in the sins of the world,
in its injustices and lack of love,
by our silence and our cowardice.
Make us aware that you also call us
to lift up this world above itself
by proclaiming to it the good news
of your Son Jesus Christ.
And to make this message of hope believable,
help us to live it consistently,
that people may see that you are our God
of justice, love and peace, now and for ever.

Scripture Readings

First Reading Introduction:
        The simple narrative of Abraham interceding for sinful Sodom and Gomorra is very rich in content. 1. All nations, even these twin cities of sin, can be blessed on account of Abraham if they show just a little faith and repentance. 2. Abraham, the origin and leader of a new people, is presented as a mediator, who intercedes for the people, as Christ will do. 3. A small number of just people can save many sinners, on account of solidarity in sin and in goodness. This theme will be further developed in the Bible that one person can save all (cf. The Suffering Servant), what, in fact, Christ will do.

First Reading: Gen 18:16-33

The men went away and turned towards Sodom. Abraham walked with them to set them on their way. And Yahweh said, "Can I conceal from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham, in fact, is going to become a great and powerful nation and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed, for I have chosen him to command his sons and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that Yahweh may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."

Then Yahweh said, "How great is the cry for justice against Sodom and Gomorrah! And how grievous is their sin! I am going down to see if they have done all that they are charged with in the outcry that has reached me. If it is not so, I will know."

The men with him turned away and went towards Sodom, but Yahweh remained standing before Abraham. Abraham went forward and said, "Will you really let the just perish with the wicked? Perhaps there are fifty good people in the town. Are you really going to let them perish? Would you not spare the place for the sake of these fifty righteous people? It would not be at all like you to do such a thing and you can't let the good perish with the wicked, nor treat the good and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the judge of all the earth be just?" Yahweh said, "If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

Abraham spoke up again, "I know that I am very bold to speak like this to my Lord, I who am only dust and ashes! But perhaps the number of the good is five less than fifty. Will you destroy the town because of five?" Yahweh replied, "I will not destroy the town if I find forty-five good people there." Again Abraham said to him, "Perhaps there will be only forty." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it."

Abraham went on, saying, "May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak. Maybe only thirty good people will be found in the town." Yahweh answered, "I will not destroy it if I find thirty there." Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to my Lord, what if only twenty can be found?" He said, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy the place."

But Abraham insisted, "May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found?" And Yahweh answered, "For the sake of ten good people, I will not destroy Sodom." When Yahweh had finished speaking with Abraham, he left and Abraham went home.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 103:1b-2, 3-4, 8-9, 10-11

Gospel Introduction
       "Leave the dead to bury their dead." Though implying total renunciation in the style of the Jewish rabbis, Jesus stresses more making a new beginning, getting uprooted from the past and breaking with it, so as not even to stay at home until one's father dies, and accepting the insecurity of following Jesus and living the faith consistently and earnestly. Are we consistent? Are we radicals in the sense demanded by Jesus?

Gospel Reading: Mt 8:18-22

When Jesus saw the crowd press around him, he gave orders to cross to the other shore. A teacher of the Law approached him and said, "Master, I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

Another disciple said to him, "Lord, let me go and bury my father first." But Jesus answered him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Commentary

When we follow Jesus, he leads us along less trodden paths. He leads us away from the "comfort zones" of our quiet, ordinary existence. This is not another foolhardy adventure, a daredevil attempt to excite our senses. It is faith in a Person whose life and teaching show us the way to fulfillment. Those who live a life vowed to poverty, chastity and obedience are a potent testimony that Jesus is worth leaving great human and earthly values for. Yet renunciation is not just for them. Some relationships to things and persons are simply not compatible with our desire and struggle to be more like Jesus. We are to give them up. "Run, therefore, intending to win it, as athletes who impose upon themselves a rigorous discipline. Yet for them the wreath is of laurels which wither, while for us, it does not wither" (1Cor 9:25).

General Intercessions

- Lord. we want to follow you, but do we really have to give up people who are dear to us? Give us courage, we pray:

- Lord, we remember also those who follow you on the way to the cross: the sick, the handicapped, those who suffer. Give them courage, we pray:

- Lord, you know from experience how much it costs a person to respond fully to your call. Give us strength and be our guide, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
in these signs of bread and wine,
we remember that your Son has called us
to make a new beginning with him.
Give us the strength
to go with him all the way on life's road.
May we join him in his offering
not only with words here in this celebration
but in the real life of every day,
that we may live with him for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
we thank you for Jesus
and for his message of good news.
Take away from us the fear
of making ourselves available
to you and to our neighbor
as Jesus demands in his gospel
and as he has shown us first.
Give us the courage to be radical enough
to commit ourselves to serve,
that we may be true disciples
of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

"Follow me," says Jesus. We have to leave behind everything that is not in conformity with his message. This applies not only to religious and missionaries. We have to understand and accept that the gospel is radical and asks us at times to take decisions that are even beyond bonds of family and all that is dear to us. May God give you this courage and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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