XIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
THE VOCATION TO…
By our Pastor, Fr. Carmelo Jiménez
The readings for this Sunday make us reflect on the vocation to which each of us have been called. Every time when we talk about vocation it’s very common to think of the priesthood and religious life, but also marriage and the single life are worthy vocations and lead to sanctification if lived well.
The first reading, without being a biography of the prophet Elisha, tells us the call made by God through Elijah. “The LORD said to Elijah: ‘You shall anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, as prophet to succeed you.’” (1 Kings 19: 16b) Always and in every vocation, God takes the initiative. God is the one who appoints, prepares and accompanies everyone who he calls to a certain vocation. In addition, every vocation is divine gratuity, because the call, the preparation and the mission comes from God and is for the greater glory of God. Regularly, God uses other people to do the vocational call, as in this case, Elijah who calls and transmits the prophet vocation, which in turn he had received from God. A vocation involves a radical change of life, to leave the past work and dedicate one’s life to do God’s will. Vocation is a gift from God, for God enriches the life of the one he calls, with gifts and talents that they had not previously discovered.
In the Gospel of Luke, we hear how Jesus started on the road to Jerusalem. For Luke, Jerusalem is the center of salvation, where Jesus’ complete offering is consummated and from where the preaching of the Kingdom of God began. Therefore, almost 20 continuous Sundays we will hear that Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. “When the days for Jesus’ being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.” (Luke 9: 51) Luke emphasizes to us that no matter what our geographical location is, the important thing is that we understand and live our lives in the midst of the world as pilgrims to the heavenly homeland, the new Jerusalem.
“Jesus answered, ‘The one who holds the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'” (Luke 9: 62) In an exceptional way Luke proposes three small stories about God’s call by showing us the human difficulties in the authentic following of Jesus. To live our vocation in an authentic way implies a break with the past. Break with the past does not mean to ignore the world, but to understand life and earthly commitments with the eyes of God, with Jesus Christ’s lifestyle. In many ways and at many times, Jesus said with clear words: “you cannot serve both God and money.” Following Jesus will lead to tensions in life, even in the family. The most important thing for every person who has received God’s calling to live a specific vocation is to understand that only in Jesus do we find meaning to our existence, and without Him our lives make no sense.
God continues to call whomever he wants and, in a mysterious and effective way, God sends them to wherever He pleases. In the midst of our world, God is still speaking and calling loudly. We need to open our ears to the voice of God’s word. Today as yesterday, this invitation is still present because we are approached and tempted by comfort. And we are tempted to say: I’m fine, living my vocation. May God grant us the grace to grow and truly live our vocational life. With the help and grace of God, may we be true spouses, parents, children, priests, nuns or religious, and at the end of our lives, may we reach the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen