13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: 1 Kgs 19:16b, 19-21 II: Galatians 5;1,13-18

⁵¹ When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
⁵² And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him;
⁵³ but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.
⁵⁴ And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?"
⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them.
⁵⁶ And they went on to another village.
⁵⁷ As they were going along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
⁵⁸ And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."
⁵⁹ To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."
⁶⁰ But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
⁶¹ Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home."
⁶² Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

• This passage begins the journey that leads Jesus to Jerusalem. Luke's journey narrative (9:51-19:27) presents a captivating portrait of Jesus, the faithful and the resolute Son (9:35), who in word and deed teaches the way that leads to life with God.
• (v.51) At the transfiguration, Jesus conversed with Moses and Elijah about his exodus, a reference to the death, resurrection and ascension that he was to fulfill in Jerusalem (9:31). With great solemnity, Jesus now sets out on his journey to Jerusalem, the city that symbolizes the continuity between the old and the new in God's plan; and from there the words will be preached to all the nations (24:47).
• (vv.52-53) Samaria was the territory between Judea and Galilee. The journey from Galilee to Jerusalem in Judea must pass through Samaria. For ethnic and historic reasons, Samaritans were not friendly to the Jews (Jn 4:9), especially when the Jews were passing through their territory on the way to the holy city, Jerusalem. The Samaritans to this day believe that God should be worship on Mount Gerizim and Jerusalem represents a heresy.
• (v.54) "Fire from heaven" alludes to 2Kings 1:10-12 where the prophet Elijah twice called down fire from to destroy his enemies. (v.55) Jesus lives out in deed his teaching about non-retaliation against enemies.
• (vv.59-60) "Let the dead bury their dead" is commonly interpreted as those who do not respond to the Gospel will be spiritually dead; they will have time to bury the physically dead. Jesus' demand even overrides the most important filial obligation to the Jews, which is to bury one's father. At that time the eldest son would stay with his parents, manage their properties, and bury them. This may take almost 30 years. Jesus challenged the people to follow him now, not years later.
• (v.61) Elijah gave permission to his disciple Elisha to bid good-bye to his family (1Kgs 19:19-21), but the call of the reign of God is more urgent.
• (v.62) The farming practice at that time was very primitive. A farmer guided a plow by one hand while his other hand drove the unruly oxen. If he looked back, the new furrow became crooked.

To be a follower of Jesus, the priority is always the kingdom of God. It supercedes a comfortable life and family relationships without hesitation or regret.

1. What is my reaction when I feel unwelcome in a group, a society or a new land? How do I tolerate diversity? Feel the anger of James and John, but listen to the words and the deed from Jesus.
2. Imagine the journey of Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem as the journey of my life. Do I have a destination? What is it? What is my priority in life? How do I follow the way?

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A synthesis by the Vietnamese Christian Life (Dong Hanh) Community