13th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A)
Scripture reading: 2 King 4:8-11, 13-16; Ps. 88:2-3,16-19; Rom. 6:3-4, 8-11; Matt. 10:37-42
St. Francis of Assisi was a mystic and one of the most inspiring saints who lived for God and others. He gave up his wealth for the Gospel. He offered his winter cloak to the poor due to which he fell sick. He gave his meal from the plate to the poor and went to bed hungry. He said, “Remember when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received only what you have given: A heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.” His life was truly inspirational. St. Maximilian Kolbe was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi. He joined the Franciscan order and lived like his master. During World War II, he was arrested by the German soldiers for hiding Jewish and Polish refugees from the Nazis. He was put into the Auschwitz concentration camp along with several others prisoners. Three prisoners disappeared from the concentration camp. The camp commander ordered ten men to be starved to death to create a scare in the camp. One of these ten men was Franciszek Gajowniczek. He started crying. He did not want to die. At this point, Kolbe stepped forward and said, “I am a Catholic priest. Let me take his place. I am old. He has a wife and children.” The commander allowed the request. Kolbe encouraged the other nine in the concentration camp by singing hymns, celebrating dry mass for others. After two weeks of starvation, Kolbe remained alive but the rest died. Because the cell was needed for other prisoners, he was given a lethal injection. Those who were present say that he raised his left arm and calmly waited for the injection. Kolbe knew his master’s saying that it is in giving that we receive. He received a reward in heaven.
Today’s liturgy encourages us that in giving that we receive. The first reading from the second book of Kings tells us a story of Elisha and a woman of rank who lived in Shunem, a village situated on the way to Mt. Carmel. She was pious, wealthy and renowned. Her hospitality was seen when she provided Elisha and Gehazi, his servant. They broke their journey for a meal in her house. She built a small room on the roof and put a bed in it, and a table, a chair and a lamp. The Shunamite woman showed great generosity to Elisha and his servant. The more she gave, the more she received. Elisha blessed her with the power of God. She was barren and bore the brunt of the social stigma of the ancient world. Barrenness was considered to be a disability or a sickness (Deut. 7:14-15). It was also considered a punishment. Michal, the wife of King David was punished with barrenness because she questioned his dancing before the Arch of Covenant. The biblical stories of Sarah, Rebeca, Manoah’s wife and Samson’s mother and Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist that they had difficulties to live in the society. Elisha blessed her with the power of God. She was blessed with a Son. The later verses of the same chapter tell us that her son died but she pleaded before Elisha for his life. It is in giving that she received manifold blessings from God.
St. Paul in the second reading from the letter of Romans tells us that we are baptized in the death of Christ. The expression of dying in Christ gives us deep insights. It means to say that we have turned away from the sinfulness. The sin was a cause for our death. The person who is baptized in Christ is a person who has died in Christ. The emersion or pouring of water on the head three times was a symbolism to say no to sin. The believer gives up everything for Christ, his sinfulness, vices, bad habits, selfishness, etc. and Christ returns him the most beautiful gift i.e. eternal life. Christ shares his own life with a believer. Christ shares with believer his happiness, joy and peace. The death, the enemy of mankind is thus defeated. It has no power over us anymore. St. Paul understood Jesus was a supreme example of God’s generosity. He says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor so that you by his property might become rich.” (2 Cor 8: 9)
Jesus in the Gospel narrates us the life of a disciple. A disciple should have a generous heart like his master. He/She should be able to give up his father and mother, his son and daughter. It means to say that a disciple is ready to generously give up his/her relationships so that he/she can devout his/her complete life for his master’s life. It was the most painful experience to give up relationships for the sake of Kingdome. Jesus himself had generously sacrificed his family life for the kingdom. His life was focused on the cross so that we might be saved. The disciple was also called in this salvific mission of Christ. He was destined to receive a cross like his master. But doing so, Jesus promises life to his disciple. He says anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.” Jesus teaches us that in giving that we receive.
St. Francis of Assisi and St. Maximillian Kolbe gave generously whatever they had their youthfulness, wealth, talents even their lives. God gave them rewards of eternal life. A Shunammite woman gave generously all her resources to Elisha. She was blessed with a child even though her husband had advanced in his age. Jesus who generously offered himself to God the Father, he was rewarded life eternal. He promises the same to all the baptized.
We are called to imitate our God who is full of generosity. He is the author of generosity. He only gives. St. James says that every good comes from God (Jas. 1:17). God gives us everything. He has not spared even his only begotten son. (Jn. 3:16). God wants us also generous. The world can become a better place with our generosity. It is the generosity of few helping us to fight against the recent pandemic. They have set an example for us. They will always be an inspiration. Sonu Sood is one of them. He acted in negative roles in the movies. But according to Economic Times, he is the most followed celebrities in the pandemic, more than the prime minister of India and the leading Bollywood actors. He says, “nothing more satisfying me then to see the smiling faces.” He gets happiness that no world can give. The more he gives, the more happiness he gets. Let us remember the saying of St. Francis of Assisi, “It is in giving that we receive.”
