Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
There is a 1963 Italian movie called The Gospel of St. Matthew. In the movie is a presentation of Matthew’s account of what we hear from Luke’s gospel today: Jesus walking through the town, with various people asking to follow Him, with Jesus giving rebukes that are both brief and cryptic. The scene presented in the movie only serves to highlight the jarring nature of the passage. As Jesus walks, His eyes are focused intently ahead, not even turning to look at the people speaking with Him. The responses themselves are delivered in a very sharp, staccato style. Jesus sees that there is work to be done, and will waste no time on groupies that would detract from that work. Still, even knowing this leaves the scene a puzzling one to modern sensibilities. Nowadays, at least a pro forma “thank you for your time and interest” might be included in such a rejection. Especially given the acts of tenderness and compassion we see Him exhibit elsewhere, why is Jesus so brusque here?
Part of the answer lies in the first reading, which prefigures what we see in the gospel. In that scene, Elijah throws his cloak over Elisha, choosing Elisha as his successor in all things. Elisha’s first reaction is not to give thanks to God (or even Elijah), to wonder at his worthiness, or even ask what God would have him do with such honor and responsibility. Rather, Elisha asks Elijah if he can take care of his own priorities first–in this case, taking leave of his parents. At this, Elijah is offended, asking “have I done anything to you?” Such favor from God is to be accepted unconditionally, or not at all. To do otherwise is to diminish this great good, only accepting it if lower goods can be kept as well. Suddenly, priorities become clear, and what one truly values is brought to light. Jesus has one ultimate value: the glory of God. Everything else is secondary, at best. For those who approached him in the gospel, the inverse was true: they really wanted to do other things, but if God’s Kingdom can be “squeezed in” as well, so much the better. Jesus will have none of this, and so rejects such people out of hand.
This attitude of Jesus presents us with a great challenge. In our lives are many things that are good on a strictly human level, all of which we can legitimately say are gifts from God. But speaking of these gifts from God should remind us that there is far more that God can give us. The sacraments, our vocation, the grace to know Jesus in prayer, are but a few examples of these higher gifts, all pointing to the highest: our salvation, an eternal and loving relationship with God in heaven. As we think on the passages read it Mass today, we would do well to compare ourselves to the individuals that Jesus rejects. To what extent do we value lesser goods over higher ones, and only accept high honor and responsibility from God on the condition that we see to our own affairs?