June 27, 2010 13th Ordinary Sunday 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21; Gal. 5:1, 13-18; Lk. 9:51-62 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Readings:  http://www.usccb.org/nab/062710.shtml   ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   To understand discipleship is to understand that there is a cost to discipleship. When we say, "I will follow you wherever you go,"  - as we do in confirmation or in other forms of commitment to Christ - we may be somewhat like that person in the crowd who was excited to follow Jesus, but had not thought through the cost.   Discipleship means a renunciation of everything that is contrary to the will and the ways of Christ and an embracing of his message and ministry.   The next two prospects for discipleship point to the commitment Jesus calls for. A commitment to follow Christ is made in light of a tremendous urgency. Here Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem where he will shortly be executed. There is no time for those lengthy farewell parties with family and friends or even time to go through the lengthy funeral rites of the day.   The words may sound harsh, "Let the dead bury the dead," but the mission of Christ is a matter of life and death. Not in the physical sense, but in the spiritual realm, there is no life without the life God gives to us in Christ.   Combined with the issue of counting the cost of being a follower of Christ the sense of urgency has strong implications for our own time. Most of us operate as though we had all the time in the world to attend to the important issues of our lives. "When I have been able to get ahead at work, I will spend time with my family."  "When I get some time in my schedule, I plan to become involved in my community." "When things settle down, I want to give some time to my church."   There is no less urgency in following Christ today than there was in Jesus' day. The world is broken and can't fix itself. Hatred of one group of people for another is an urgent issue for the victims of ethnic cleansing. The empty values of the world around us have created a vacuum in the lives of many people we know.   Jesus calls, "Come and follow me..." to the crowds that attended his caravan into Jerusalem, and to you and to me in the crowds that fill the churches of our time. Understanding discipleship is to hear the call, count the cost and make the commitment. He needs disciples today, this very hour.     <<   Previous: 12th Ordinary Sunday  | Next: 14th Ordinary Sunday >>   Go Back to SERMONS (Year C)