Readings and Themes for the Week of June 27, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of June 27, 2010,
Thirteenth Sunday

Reading 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21

Elisha left everything to inherit Elijah's prophetic role.

Psalm 16

“You are my inheritance, O Lord”.

Reading II Galatians 5:1, 13-18

A proper use of freedom includes service to others, motivated by love.

Gospel Luke 9:51-62

Jesus expects us to leave everything to follow him.

THEME:

We are invited to "come follow"

Today’s readings give us examples of ways we can respond to the Lord’s call. Elisha abandons his livelihood and his family to become Elijah’s attendant. The Lord Jesus demands a single-hearted response to the call to follow him. Saint Paul reminds us that when we say “yes” to the Lord, much is demanded of us. Saint Paul tells us that our response is summed up in one statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Questions of the week

Question for Children:

To follow Jesus means to do what is right.

During this past week, when did you follow Jesus by doing the right thing you were asked to do, the first time, without an excuse?

Question for Youth:

The people in the story had lots of reasons why they couldn’t follow Jesus.

What makes it hard to be a disciple of Jesus?

Why do you make the choice to follow Jesus even though it is hard?

Question for Adults:

Sometimes we are like the people in the Gospel and have many excuses for why we cannot follow Jesus.

This past week when did you follow Jesus even though you had many excuses not to?

Bulletin Bites
"No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God."

When Elijah calls to Elisha, he hesitated, “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye.” Elijah does not prevent him. Then Elisha kills the team of oxen he was driving, uses the wood of the plow to build a fire to burn their flesh and distributes it to the people and follows Elijah. He detaches himself from everything he previously depended on. Paul tells us, “For freedom Christ set us free.” Christ teaches us to be free from attachment to things of this world. This freedom is not for selfish pursuits, but “to serve one another in love.” Jesus calls us to follow him, but we sometimes hesitate. If we start to follow Jesus but let other attachments distract us, we will never be free to discern God’s will for us and respond in freedom to God for all that he has given to us. What are the attachments in our life that keep us from the true freedom that allows us to follow Christ, without hesitation? Make a list.