Homily For Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 2nd July , 2023.

Reading: 1Kings 4:8-11.14-16; Ps.89; Rom. 6:3-4.8-11; Matt. 10:37-42

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

THE SACRIFICIAL NATURE OF DISCIPLESHIP AND THE REWARD FOR HOSPITALITY

 

The second stanza of one of our great  hymn titled The Summons written John L. Bell in 1987 say:

Will you leave your self behind if I but call your name?

Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?

Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?

Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

 

This hymn contains personal questions asked by Jesus to every individual human person. A question that one will have to answer personally especially as regards the demands for a sacrificial life of discipleship and hospitality. Will you leave? We you care? Will you risk? Will you let the Lord to lead you?

 

These are questions of great demands which a true disciple must constantly reflect through in life in order to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of him/her as disciple of Jesus. This great demand is presented to us in our liturgy today as the readings propel us to reflect on the cost of discipleship and the rewards for hospitality.

 

In our Gospel passage, Jesus says to his apostles: “Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.” He also commanded saying:  ‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’

 

Here Jesus is not saying we should negate the fourth commandments or not love our parents or our children. Rather Jesus is making it very clear that for us to truly live out the message of the Gospel we must be ready to make great sacrifice of that which is so dear to us. This is because the life of the Gospel will inevitably come into conflict with the things of this world and this will in a way bring tension and separation between family members, friends, parents and siblings.

 

However, those willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of Christ and the Gospel will gain eternal life as their rewards while those who would choose to save their own mortal lives in this world rather than sacrificing them for the sake of the kingdom of God will lose their soul for eternity. And for those who will be hospitable to people who have embraced the life of the Gospel, they will surely receive great rewards.

 

 This is evident in our first reading today, where we read how the hospitality of a woman to prophet Elisha brought about the great gift of a child to her. This woman showed her hospitality to the servant of God without having any selfish or ulterior motive but was simply demonstrating her God-fearing attitude and care for God’s prophet. Such is God’s way of rewarding our great act of charity and sacrifice towards the vessels he uses to fulfill his mission.

 

This no doubt is what St. Paul in our second reading today highlights, telling us that by the virtue of our baptism, all of us have died to sin and have been raised to newness of life as God’s vessels, His own beloved children, sharing in the mission of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, thereby cable for giving and receiving hospitality and the rewards that comes from such great sacrificial love for God and for humanity.

 

Dear friends today we are called to reflect on the sacrificial nature of discipleship and the rewards for hospitality. But how far are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of discipleship? This task no doubt is quite difficult, therefore, to embrace it we must desire to have Jesus as our only master, we must be disposed to respond to the call of the master and taking instructions from him alone. We must be willing to sacrifice and pay the ultimate prize of following Jesus. We must desire to  acquire the mind of our Master Jesus by spending quality time with him along with other fellow disciples and finally  we must invite other people to Jesus.

 

This is quite demanding, we need the grace, strength and courage that comes from the Holy Spirit and this is possible only through constant prayer and holiness of life. Therefore, as we embrace the call of discipleship, let us leave ourselves behind in sacrifice, let us care for the cruel and kind and never be the same, let us risk the hostile stare and should our life attract or scare, let it be a sign of Christ dwelling in us and we in him, so that, like the first disciples of Christ, we may receive the great rewards of eternal life.

 

PRAYER: Lord God, you have called us to follow you as your disciples,  grant us the grace and courage to pay the prize of discipleship and receive the rewards of eternal life through Christ our Lord. Amen Happy Sunday.