“No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Lk 9:51-62
The Gospel for this Sunday is divided into two parts: (a) Lesson on tolerance and (c) the honesty of Jesus and the demands of following him.
On tolerance. Jesus scolded James and John for wanting to destroy the Samaritan village that refused to welcome them.
On the honesty of Jesus and the demands of discipleship. Jesus did not hide the sacrifices that a person must make if he wants to be a disciple. They are: (a) financial hardship and insecurity, (b) sacrifice of family ties, and (c) leave behind one’s former way of life.
When the days for Jesus’ being taken up were fulfilled…
Take up or assumption is “analempsis” in Greek. We find the same expression in the Gospel of John. Here as in John it refers to the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus into heaven.
The word is also an allusion to Elijah. “As they (Elijah and Elisha) walked on conversing, a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind” (2Kngs 2:9-11).
He resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem…
This signals the second half of the public ministry of Jesus as well as that of the gospel of Luke.
Resolutely indicates the determination and commitment of Jesus to carry out the Father’s will.
Jerusalem is central to the gospel of Luke. The public ministry of Jesus unfolds as Jesus travels to Jerusalem. It is there that he will die. It is there that the Christian community will be born on Pentecost Day. It is also from there that the mission of Jesus will spread to all the corners of the earth.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
The Jews avoided contact with the Samaritans because the former regarded the latter as an impure race with an impure religion. In fact the Samaritans were Israelites who inter-married with their pagan neighbors.
They kept rival temples: the temple in Jerusalem for the Jews and the temple on Mt. Gerizim for the Samaritans. For this reason the Samaritans were particularly hostile to the Jews on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. And for this reason also, the pilgrims would rather take the longer route via Perea just to avoid crossing Samaritan territory.
By going to a Samaritan village, Jesus wanted to break down the walls of division (Ephesians 2). This attempt will be followed by the mission of the deacon Philip to Samaria (Acts 8:5-25).
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”
James and John may have had the prophet Elijah in mind. He destroyed his enemies with fire from heaven. “Then the king sent a captain with his company of fifty men after Elijah. The prophet was seated on a hilltop when he found him. "Man of God," he ordered, "the king commands you to come down." "If I am a man of God," Elijah answered the captain, "may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men” (2Kings 1:10-12).
That they were prone to violence may be deduced from their name of “Boanerges”, that is, sons of thunder (Mk 3:17). We, however, have to credit them for their confidence in Jesus— that they can indeed call down fire from heaven, if Jesus permits them.
As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
The first candidate was told that following Jesus could mean financial insecurity and material hardship.
And to another he said, “Follow me.”But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead”.
It is not that his father has died. Probably what is meant here is: “Once my father dies I will follow you.”
The follower of Jesus must be ready to sacrifice family ties.
A Muslim girl in the US converted to Christianity. Usually that meant making her and her family enemies to such an extent that the family would be ready to kill her. It was fear for her life that she fled from home.
And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” To him Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Here is where we find the connection of the Gospel to the First Reading. The difference is that Elijah allowed Elisha to give a good-bye feast to his family while Jesus would not allow it.
If you are plowing the field and you keep on looking back, the furrows would be crooked. If you decided to be a follower of Jesus and you keep on looking back, it means that your decision to follow Jesus is shaky. What does it mean when a married woman keeps on looking back at the man she could have married but did not? It means that she is not happy with her present marriage. It means that her marriage is shaky.
Jesus says that only those who are ready to give him their full commitment and dedication should attempt to follow him.
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