Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, 2016

Who Are The Samaritans In Your Life? 

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, June 26, 2016

The main objective of the Gospel is to lead us to Jesus. Jesus’ chief objective is to lead us to God, and God’s primary objective is to ensure that we have eternal life. Today’s Gospel (Luke 9:51-62) tells us that Jesus was resolutely determined to go to Jerusalem, the very heart of Jewish faith, and to enter the Temple— its center of worship. He knew that “danger” was ahead of him in Jerusalem, yet, he was unwaveringly determined to enter the city. He knew he would be killed there, but was not deterred. He spent a whole lot of his life in the region known as the lower Galilee. He grew up, lived and worked in a place so near to the Sea of Galilee. He only relocated to Capernaum when he began his earthly ministry. From Capernaum he would go out and preach and then return home by the sea. Towards the end of his ministry, he decided to take his message to the very heart of the Jewish faith—Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead of him. On getting to a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception, the folks of that village refused to let that happen. Reason being that Jesus was a Jew and he was heading to Jerusalem, Jews’ religious center. In frustration, James and John said to Jesus: “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” But Jesus rebuked them and continued his journey through another village. 

Jesus is the most tolerant person to ever lived in this world, but when it comes to matters of God, he was never a wishy-washy, negligent and indecisive person. As he was making his way to Jerusalem, someone approached him and said: “I will follow you wherever you go.” But before throwing a party at the possibility of having one more follower, Jesus straightforwardly described the sacrifices that are involved in following him. “Before you decide to follow me, just count the cost” he indirectly told him. As he continued his march towards Jerusalem, he met two other people and called: “Follow me!” The first replied, “I will follow you but that would be after I had buried my father.” The second said: “I will follow you but first permit me to go home and say farewell to my family.” To the first, Jesus seemed to have said to him, “There is no time.” “Devotion to God comes first before anything or anybody.” To the second, he seemed to have said, “Run the heavenly race without looking back to what you had left behind.” There are many people out there who are saying right now: “When I get this and that done, then I will start going to Church more.” “I will go to church only when I have accomplished this or that.” “I will give some money to the church only when I have enough.” Everyone is busy, but it is where we choose to spend most of our time that tells what is important to us. Do not fall to the Devil’s temptation that says “You have lots of time.” “Relax a little.” “You are too young to serve God.” “You are doing a lot for God already.” “You have been going to church all your life, it’s time to rest.”  The beginning of our life as Christians is to always seek what the will of God is. When the world asks us to weigh the pros and cons, to place all options on the table, remember that Jesus says “Seek you first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and other things will be added unto you (Matt. 6:33).” When the world tells us to choose the safe thing to do,” remember that God wants us to choose the right thing and to do it. Christian life is all about doing what Jesus wants us to do.

Jesus was “resolutely determined” to go to Jerusalem because of his determination to obey the will of God. He never allowed anything to stand in his way, not even the Samaritan people. He was focused. The Samaritan people refused to welcome him because he was going to Jerusalem through their city. The direct way from Galilee to Jerusalem led to Samaria; but Jews often times avoid going through it because of an old quarrel between Jews and the Samaritans. Jesus took that route for a purpose— he wanted to extend a hand of friendship to a people who had been enemies to his people. He wanted to tell them “It’s alright now. Let us reconcile.” He was going to Jerusalem to reconcile humanity with God by his death on the cross. He wanted to begin by reconciling people with people. 

Who are the Samaritans in our life? Who are the people we would like to get rid of if we could? Is it possible for us to have the same tolerant attitude as Jesus, choosing to avoid vengeance and retaliation, ever-ready to forgive, looking for ways to find peace? Hebrews 12:14 says: “Strive (make effort) to live in peace with everyone and be holy; for without holiness no one will see the Lord.”