HOMILY BY BISHOP LARRY DUFFY AT THE CLOGHER DON ÓIGE MASS OF SENDING FOR YOUTH PILGRIMS TO LOURDES AND TAIZÉ
St Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan. Saturday 29 June 2019
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Young people, we are proud of you. You are missionaries. May you follow Jesus and resolutely take up the road on you mission, prayerfully and joyfully helping others.”
This Sunday the readings at Mass challenge us to reflect on our response to God’s call to follow him; for us to be missionaries. What is our response?
The First Reading (1 Kings 19:16,19-21) is a very radical call. Elisha is called by God while working on his farm. It is not an easy call for Elisha but he goes to hug his parents and to eat with his co-workers. He must then leave his family and his hone and put aside all that he possesses in order to follow Elijah as his servant. But look at what he does: he kills the oxen and burns the plough. It is a statement of his trust in God and in people to care for him.
In the Gospel account from Luke (Luke 9:61-62) we see both misunderstanding of and opposition to the missionary call. The disciples want to call down fire, but Jesus will have none of it and rebukes them. Jesus points out to us what our response should be: one of trust in God, showing respect and tolerance.
Tonight, we have young people from all across the Diocese of Clogher here in our Cathedral. They are going on mission; some to Lourdes where they will assist pilgrims at the Shrine of Our Lady, others are going on pilgrimage to Taizé to be part of a Christian community where prayer and reflection is central.
Young people, we are proud of you. You are missionaries. May you follow Jesus and resolutely take up the road (c.f. Luke 9:51) on your mission, prayerfully and joyfully helping others.
We pray God’s blessing on you and ask you to remember us in your prayers this summer and always.
Ends
