13th Sunday in Ordinary Time C
Filipino Basahin sa Filipino: Ika-13 Linggo ng Karaniwang Panahon K
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FOLLOWING GOD RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE
Most of the time, our idea of God’s call and of following him borders on the dramatic and adventurous. This was so true for the disciples of Jesus whom he called to abandon everything to follow him. They were to be unsure of many things (Lk. 9:58), to be totally detached from those they loved (v. 60), and never entertain the thought of returning home (v. 62 ).
That is still true for many people. Jesus calls people to follow him in special missions of love and compassion around the world. It takes great generosity. But it also takes great grace for this to happen. This is not somehitng one can do alone or by human powers only.
What many of us fail to realize is that this call to follow the Lord is not about mission work or full-time ministry or consecration. Jesus is above all, inviting us to follow God’s will in our lives. At times the setting is far from dramatic, ecstatic or adventurous. Simply, the Lord calls us to follow the will of God right where we are, and just as we are.
At work, he calls us to value our contribution to the company. In our families he calls us to be more real as dads, moms and children, serious in investing more love, patience, forgiveness and sacrifice. In our neighborhoods, God asks us to share a ready smile and an outstretched hand. It may be God’s will to show kindness to a person through a simple text message or a positive remark on FB.
Though simple, following God’s will can be even greater and nobler than preaching the gospel overseas. A sick person follows the Lord by befriending his illness and offering his pain to God for others. A grieving person fulfills his mission by struggling to move on through the tears. A person with a large cross to carry follows the Lord by being kind and compassionate even as he has been dealt painful blows by others.
Let us pray for the grace to follow God’s will for our lives today and everyday, in the simple tasks before, and in the way that suits our situation in life.
