INTRODUCTION
The common theme of today’s readings is the missionary mandate we have all got from God: a mandate to love God and our brothers and sisters through a selfless act of hospitality, generosity. They are all about the sacrifice required of Jesus’ disciples, the type challenges hey will encounter and the need to bear in mind that no messenger of the gospel will go without reward. The mission which started with Elisha at Shunaam in the first reading, continued with Paul in Rome in the second reading, and then with the apostles at Galilee and Judea in the gospel, is given to all of us. Let us not break the chain of the mission of Christ especially in our world today that needs light from the disciples of christ.
FIRST READING: 2Kings 4:8-11.14-16a
The first reading has a similar setting with that of the encounter of Abraham with the three strangers passing his way while he was sitting under the oak of mamre. It was his act of generosity to them that opened a new page in his life and in the history of the people of Israel, through their promise of Isaac, a son of his old age and the eventual father of Jacob, the father of the 12 tribes.
The story of the shunamite woman reveals how the act of generosity can turn to a divine investment.
Shunaam was a small village in the possession of the Tribe of Issachar. It was located near the Jezreel Valley, north of Mount Gilboa as mentioned in Joshua 19:18. It was the same village where the Philistines camped when they fought Saul, the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 28,4). The encounter of the prophet Elisha with this woman whose name was retained by the author reveals how righteousness was discovered in almost an invisible and unknown corner of the land of Israel and left the woman a referential figure among the feminine personages of the ancient story of the chosen people:
HOLINESS DISCOVERED FROM THE WINDOW OF THE SHUNAMITE HOME
The woman and her husband were certainly used to seeing travelers make their way into shunem. And they could describe the category of persons that often walk through that path, but this particular poor traveler caught their attention to the point of letting him in into their home. After few occasions of his repeated visits, the woman full of intuition and perceptive sensibility discovered that there is something deeper in the life of the poor traveler. She did not hide her perception to husband: “Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way.” Such a spirit-filled discovery and sense of judgment will become the beginning of their new story. Elisha the traveler who was used to making his journey along that path never knew that he was being watched from the upper room and from that little opening of the family of Shunaam. Thus, his holiness communicated his type of person and eventually won for him the admiration and the generosity of the couple. Yes, holiness can never be hidden, and it is always contagious no matter its distance.
THE END ROAD TO BARRENNESS
After many occasions of repeated kindness and hospitality by the couple, the prophet felt that they too deserve a little token of appreciation from him. First he sent Gehazi his servant to ask the woman if there is anything she would like him to tell the King and the commander of the army. Elijah who had influence in the sight of the king and the Army commander felt the need to advocate for the already rich family to blend their riches with power. But such a request was turned down by the woman. And for the second time, the prophet asked his servant, “what then is to be done for her.” The servant who was attentive to the immediate need of the family said, “well she has no son and her husband is old.” He pronounced openly such long hidden situation of hopelessness to Elijah who knew what God can do in the life of the righteous. The prophet invited her presence and before her, he pronounced an end to her barreness: “At this season, when the time comes around, you shall embrace a son.” Such a news wasn’t welcomed with much enthusiasm by the woman who knew very well the situation of the family. And she said, “no my Lord do not deceive your servant” (v.16). Certainly that was the best spontaneous response to such a news. But probably within her, the holiness of Elisha was a reason to cling to the news. And most probably again, the story of Abraham and Sarah was well known to her. So her doubt shouldn’t be a pessimistic one. Indeed she did bear a son as pronounced by the prophet (v.17).
SECOND READING: Romans 6:3-4.8-11
The second reading, taken from Paul’s letter to the Romans, reminds the Roman Christians, and us, that by Baptism we have been baptized into Jesus’ death, buried with him, and now look forward to resurrection with him (Rom 6:5). As Jesus died to sin, we, too, must be dead to sin and “live for God in Christ Jesus.” Since Baptism is our entrée into this new life in which we are made part of the Body of Christ and Christ is truly present in us, the one who welcomes us welcomes Christ and becomes eligible for a reward. Thus, since those who care for the followers of Jesus are caring for Jesus himself, those who show hospitality to any one of them are eligible for a reward (Fr. A. Kadavil).
GOSPEL: Matthew 10:37-42
The gospel presents the last part of the instruction of Jesus to his apostles who were about to embark on their first missionary mandate into the Villages of Galilee and Judea. The teaching is divided into two parts; the first part is strictly to the attitude required of the apostles (the newly commissioned missionaries), while the second part is a reward that awaits the messengers of the Gospel. Jesus tells his messengers, ‘I know you love your parents, your sons and daughters, but since I have chosen you, you must love me more than any of those. Now you are going away. You must be detached from any form of affection and distraction that should draw you aback, and that is the only way to be focused on me. You can only be able to represent me wherever you are going if only you allow yourselves to be drawn into bond of love with me.’
This preferential option for Jesus is meant to consume the life of the apostles. It is indeed the meaning of carrying ones cross to go after him. There is no cross that can be as heavy as moving away from ones home, and sometimes unable to be physically present when they need him the most. This is the cross Jesus is handing over to his apostles today. He made them to understand that though they love their mothers, fathers, and sons and daughters but on no account should these be loved more than him.
LIFE MESSAGE
1. FOOLS FOR CHRIST
A parishioner once said;’Fr I don’t think I can ever imagine staying away from my family for anything in the name of being a missionary. In response I told him: “first you don’t need to be away from your home before being a missionary, for your family, your workplace, your business stand is your mission land and that is where you must make Christ known to the people. Secondly I asked him: “Do you think you love your family more than those who are away from their homes for the sake of the gospel?” Yes, nobody in his right senses would exchange his loved ones for anything. But it takes an exceptional love and passion for God to to be a missionary. Moving away from the boundaries of ones family and home is a fundamental option for God and the acceptance to make the whole world his or her family. This is the only way to explain a disciples’ conformity with the Lord. Most often the missionaries (priests and religious) do not have the possibility to bid farewell to their dying ones and not even to administer the last sacrament to them. Yet this is what they do it to others on daily basis. It really takes ‘foolishness’ to serve God. Let’s pray for those who are away from their homes for the sake of the gospel.
2. GENEROSITY AS A DIVINE INVESTMENT
“He who welcomes you welcomes me”
The example of Abraham in Genesis Chapter 18 shows how the opening of ones hands and door can change the whole of his history. A similar story is what we read in the first reading today. The shunamite family never knew that the food and shelter they were giving out to the prophet was an investment for divine favour. Certainly they were wealthy but they had no name because in such a culture such as exist in many cultures today, not to have a son means not to have a name, a future. But their encounter with prophet shows how God can be much generous to us when we are generous to others.
Meanwhile, Jesus redefines the value of generosity today: “He who welcomes you welcomes me.” Many people have gotten used to peeping from the windows of their homes in order to see the sufferings of the others simply as something different from their fortune. They keep their doors wide open for those of their likes while the rest can remain out there, after all they can’t solve the problem of poverty, the problem of humanity alone. The shunamite woman instead was able to discover God in the pool and weary stranger, and treated him like a king. And this became the end of her childlessness.
Let’s be aware that Christ will not always come to us in clerical garb. He often prefer the face of that stranger, that neighbour, that social outcast, that sick person dying in loneliness. Yes they are the mobile tabernacle of Christ presence. Let’s try and unlock them and we will find him asking for ‘a cup of cold water.’
PRAYER
May the God of generosity visit you today and grant you reasons for testimony. Amen.
PAX VOBIS!
