28 June 1998
Last week's question was Who do you say that I am? This week's question is What are you going to do about it? All of today's readings deal with the one of the central paradoxes of active faith in God: taking on the yoke of freedom.
In the reading from the Hebrew Bible, we hear the story of the calling of Elisha to be the successor of the prophet Elijah. Elisha is out in the field, minding his own business -- apparently a substantial one, since he is plowing with 12 yoke of oxen. He must be a man of considerable strength -- both fiscal and physical.
Elijah, one of the major prophets of his people, is on his way, directed by God, to anoint new kings for Aram and Israel. He also is to anoint Elisha, who will continue his work. Elijah has already had a pretty strenuous career, and it's not over yet. Earlier, he has called down a drought in a challenge to the followers of Baal. His life was in danger: the drought would cause famine, and King Ahab's infamous wife Jezebel was busily hunting down and killing off the Lord's prophets, while entertaining 400 of the prophets of Baal at the royal table. All of this leads to a "my God is bigger than your god" contest, a challenge issued by Elijah.
He calls the people to Mt. Carmel and confronts them: How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. But the people [do] not answer him a word. So Elijah directs the preparation of two bulls for sacrifice, with wood but no fire. Elijah will call on the Lord, and the prophets of Baal are to call upon their god, and they will see which god consumes the sacrifice by fire.
Elijah invites the 450 prophets of Baal to go first. They try prayers, sacred dance and trance, even shedding their own blood. But the sacrifice is untouched. At noon Elijah mock[s] them, saying, "Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." But Baal does not answer.
Elijah makes an altar of twelve stones (remember another stacking up of twelve stones in the history of his people?), and then adds insult to injury by instructing the people to pour precious water over the sacrifice not once but three times. He prays to God, and the story goes on: Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The Lord indeed is God; the Lord indeed is God." And the prophets of Baal, unhelped by their god, are slaughtered by the people.
Then, and finally then, the rain comes. At first only in a little cloud the size of a person's hand, but then in drenching downpour. But Jezebel, who has just lost the contest and 450 employees, is mightily displeased, and sends a message to Elijah vowing to kill him. He runs away -- even major prophets can get scared -- and asks to die. But once again he is asked to take up the yoke. The angel of the Lord tells him to get up and eat, and sends him on yet another journey. At the end of this one, he will know the wind, the earthquake, the fire, and finally the sound of sheer silence. And he will be sent back into the thick of the action to anoint the two kings and Elisha.
Elisha knows that he is being called to a major undertaking. He goes back to kiss his parents, and before he leaves to follow Elijah he kills the oxen and uses the equipment as fuel to cook them. Then he offers the flesh to the people -- hosting a going-away party of sorts -- before leaving everything to become Elijah's servant, and the servant of Elijah's Lord. He leaves the old yoke behind and takes up the new one.
In today's Gospel, Luke tells us that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem. He is also making a journey as a servant of God, also heading into a difficult and dangerous time. But he goes, sending messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to request hospitality -- not a likely thing, with the ancient animosity between the Samaritans and the Jews. And the request is turned down. Samaritans don't agree that the "real" Temple is in Jerusalem, and don't take kindly to people on their way to worship there.
Perhaps even thinking of Elijah calling down fire in the name of the Lord to show whose side God is on, James and John want to "nuke" the opposition. Apparently aptly called the Sons of Thunder for their volatility, and perhaps just a bit intoxicated with their power as disciples, they ask Jesus, Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? Jesus turns and rebukes them, and they go on to the next village.
On the way, Jesus meets a series of would-be followers. The first offers to follow him anywhere. But Jesus invites him not to take up the yoke casually, but in awareness of the potential implications: Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.
To another, Jesus says, Follow me. This one says, Lord, first let me go and bury my father. It's not clear whether the father is dead, is dying, or is healthy at this point with an undetermined amount of life ahead. Jesus makes a very direct reply to the man's hesitation. Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." It sounds like a harsh reply, and certainly against the popular piety and the interpretation of the commandment to honor parents. But it challenges the man to look at his ultimate priorities.
Yet another approaches Jesus, with a kind of conditional offer: I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home. Again Jesus makes a very direct reply: No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. We're not primarily a farming area here, so stop and think about that for a bit. If you are trying to plow a straight line in a particular direction, and you turn away to look back, you are likely to end up plowing a crooked line, getting off the track. Jesus is asking for full, unconditional, undivided attention. Nothing less. That's a tough imperative for us to face into, with all the distractions vying for our attention in both our inner and our outer worlds. But he's clear -- to borrow a well-known slogan -- Just do it! Or a well-known spiritual: Keep your hand on that plow, and hold on.
How can we take up that particular yoke and plow the furrows of God's kingdom? We can't do it alone. We need help. In the Epistle reading from the letter to the Galatians, Paul sets the freeing yoke in contrast to the yoke of slavery: For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters... If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. The fruits of that Spirit, as he lists them, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, are the fruits of living a life fully attentive and yoked to the One who said, Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. [Mt. 11:28-30]
Elisha gets up and follows Elijah into an unknown future. Jesus walks toward Jerusalem and an increasingly certain death on the cross. Paul calls the Galatians to be guided by the Spirit. There is brisk challenge in all of today's readings, no doubt about it. Elijah set the choice before the people too: If the Lord is God, follow him.
The Psalmist says, O Lord, you are my portion and my cup... You will show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy... And there is. Why should we settle for slavery when God calls u to choose life in Him?
May God give us the grace to choose the only true freedom, now and forever. Together as Christ's body and as individuals, what are we going to do about it?
[I Kings 19:15-16, 19-21; Psalm 16:5-11; Galatians 5:1, 13-25; Luke 9:51-62][I Kings 19:15-16, 19-21; Psalm 16:5-11; Galatians 5:1, 13-25; Luke 9:51-62]
The Rev. Lois Hart
28 June 98