1 Kings 19:19-21 / Matthew 5:33-37
Elijah calls Elisha: Elisha follows Elijah.
Catherine Marshall’s book A Man Called Peter tells
the story of her husband, who was the famous chaplain of Congress. It was made
into a highly successful movie. One day, after the movie’s release, Catherine
received an unusual letter from a young assistant sports editor of a newspaper.
He told her that it was while watching the movie of Peter’s life that he felt
God’s call to the ministry. The young man responded and was now happily
studying in a seminary. It was under a similar unusual circumstance that Elisha
experienced God’s call, said yes to it, and succeeded Elijah as God’s prophet
to Israel.
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Did we ever experience God’s call to us in an unusual
situation or circumstance? God is constantly calling us to follow him more
closely than we are.
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If we know something about computer language, then we will
know that at its very basics, it is about "1" and "0".
Putting it simply in understandable language, it is about "Yes" or
"No". How this works can be seen in a flow-chart where the flow goes
from one "Yes" to the next "Yes". If there is a
"No" then it goes to another flow process. But we don't usually talk
in that kind of way. We will say things like "Yes, but.. maybe" or
"Yes, if ..." In other words, our "Yes" is not always a
committed and convicted "Yes". The same can be said of our
"No"
Elisha, in the 1st reading, also had the same problem. When
Elijah passed near to him and threw his cloak over him, Elijah was calling him
to follow him. He ran after Elijah and said "Yes" and then came the
"ifs, buts and maybes. A simple question from Elijah was all it took to
clear up Elisha's mind and with that he also gave up his oxen and plough.
Seeing all that go up in smoke was certainly not easy but
the "Yes" that was required demanded nothing less. Jesus also
emphasized that when He said this: "Yes" if you mean yes,
"No" if you mean no. Putting it simply, let we say "Yes" to
Jesus and "No" to the devil, and mean it. Anything more than this
comes from the evil one.
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WHY SWEAR OATHS? Introduction Today’s first
reading from the Book of Kings gives us a good example of the radical demands
made on people God will send for a radical mission. Elisha is up to the call. Why
do people require that at special occasions a statement be backed up by an
oath? Is it that they doubt one another’s sincerity and truthfulness,
particularly when it matters? And if God invoked in witness of the truth, is it
always the truth that is sworn to? In the mind of Jesus, Christians should
always be so reliable that there is no need for swearing oaths. We should mean
what we say at all occasions.
Penitential Rite:
-You tell us, Lord, Do not take a false oath, but
make good to the Lord all that you vow, LHM
-You tell us, Lord, do not swear under any
circumstances, CHM
-You tell us, Lord, Let our 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and our
'No' mean 'No.', LHM
Opening Prayer Reliable God, your Son was born for
this and for this he came into this world, to bear witness to the truth. Count
us among those who listen to him and who want to be honest seekers of the
truth. Help us to say a firm no to all that is evil and make our yes a firm yes
to all that is good and worthy, by the power of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Commentary Oaths call upon God to witness the trudi
of what is asserted. They played a part in Old Testament life, just as they
have been part of church practice for centuries. Whatever else an oath may do,
it infringes on God’s sovereignty in drawing him to matters of lesser concern.
The Sermon on the Mount is clear in its condemnation of oaths. Why then do we
continue to take oaths? Some would argue that the Matthean prohibition of oaths
is part of an ideal toward which we may strive but continually fall short. But
such an argument also is weak, since it has long been held that the provisions
of the Sermon on the Mount are not simply ideals but norms to be lived in
everyday life. Perhaps the best answer is simply to recognize that it is an
area in which we fall short. We fail to speak the unvarnished truth with
honesty. In our reading from Kings, Elisha is so determined to share the lot of
Elijah that he destroys his instruments of agriculture and destroys the animals
that provided for his livelihood. This was as total a commitment to the future
as could possibly be made. Here there is no putting his hand to the plow and
looking back. Elisha prays for a double share in Elijah’s spirit. It is that
type of determination that was so much a part of the prophetic tradition as
well as true Christian discipleship.
Points to Ponder The truth of the simple and direct
answer The witness of total commitment Elisha’s prophetic call. Intercessions
– For Christians, that they may be so reliable that there is
no need for swearing oaths, we pray:
– For friends, that they may always be trustworthy and
faithful, we pray:
– For all of us, that we may be faithful to the task God has
given us in life, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts Lord God, almighty Father, you
spoke your creative word and things and people existed; you saw that your work
was good. Speak here in our midst your mighty word and your Son will be present
among us as your faithful, reliable word. Let him fill our hollow words to the
brim with goodness, honesty and peace, that we may trust one another and offer
you all honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion Loyal and trustworthy God, your
Son has spoken to us words that never pass away. He filled his words with
himself and so he could be with us here. Help us too to fill again our worn-out
words with ourselves. Let your own Son speak in the words we say and the words
we hear. Let him become flesh again in our words, that we may become free again
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing A few days ago Paul told us that Jesus was
always “Yes,” yes to the Father’s will, yes and affirming to people, reliable.
May we too be trustworthy and reliable, in our faith, our friendship, our given
word, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy
Spirit.
