A Commitment Without Wavering

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

June 28, 2022

in Spritual Growth

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June 26, 2022
2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Readings: 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21
Galatians 5:1,13-25

Luke 9:51-62

Christ came because the Father sent Him to bring restoration of man back to God’s family. He had to come as man, through the Virgin Mary by birth, go through everything that man underwent. He gave His Word to the Father that He was going to experience pain and suffering. The Jews did not understand most of the things that Christ was doing. He grew up with His earthly parents, Joseph and Mary who were ordinary people. But He was wise before His years and at the age of 12, was found in the temple discussing deep things with the teachers. He astounded everyone with the wisdom He displayed. Jesus was aware that at one point in His adult life, He was going to face persecution, mockery and even beatings. He never wavered in His commitment. He was showing us how our lives should be lived. He was in essence, telling us that when we make commitments, we must fulfill them. He brings out the things we needed to know so that we would be aware of what His intentions are and that He never wavered in His commitments. He had a job to do and He was going to do it, no matter what happens.

In the gospel today, we see Him being met by people asking Him, “How can we follow you”? He was very blunt in His response to them, stressing the fact that they should be ready to count the cost. If we recall the large crusades in the past, many came to Christ, confessing Him as Lord. But how many are really living the life today? We are to be willing to sacrifice. When we become Christians, it doesn’t mean we’re not going to have problems. It doesn’t mean our lives will be a bed of roses. Not everything will be nice and favorable. Do we understand the word, “commitment?” Do we fulfill our promises? Do we understand loyalty and determination? We are obligated to fulfill a spiritual commitment. What we do to God should be the most valuable.

When Jesus said to “follow Him,” He meant that one should be like Him. This is the real meaning of following Him. It is our responsibility to be like Him in character, and in loving the things He loves. He loved and took care of others. The purpose of life itself is to restore the relationship of mankind back into the Kingdom of God. Our whole attitude when we come to church is to worship God and not be chatting with our brethren. When we accept Christ, do we accept the totality of our commitment to God? We have allowed the world to change us- that we don’t see ourselves holy and righteous. We should have the determination that with God, our commitment should be stable. Yes, we may fail along the way but we still go on. God is calling us to fulfill our commitment to Him. Nothing is more important than this.