Homilies & Thoughts

The first reading places us in the home of a woman in Shunem who recognizes Elisha as a holy man of God. She urges him to dine with her, and then, seeing his frequent travels, she and her husband prepare and furnish a small room for him on the roof. In this simple but deliberate act, she makes space in her home for the servant of God, and in doing so, she makes room for God himself.

The Lord’s words first sound like a message of comfort to the disciples: “Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.” The Twelve needed that reassurance. Jesus had sent them out to preach the Good News, but their mission had not been easy. They encountered rejection. People spoke against them, mocked them, and even accused them of being in league with evil spirits. In the face of those attacks, Jesus tells them not to be afraid. The truth will not remain hidden forever. The lies spoken against them will be exposed, and God’s justice will prevail.

“Without cost you have received.” The words of the Lord seem so clear. The Gospel is free. Salvation is free. Yet we have slowly allowed ourselves to believe something else. The world and its ideas have taken root in many hearts. Many people have come to think that we somehow purchase the faith.

I saw this in a parish not long ago. It was not our parish. Difficult but important changes were introduced, and some people were unhappy. Tensions rose enough that the diocese had to send in others to listen and help bring healing. In the aftermath of those meetings, I saw some of the feedback on social media. One comment struck me: “Why don’t we let the market decide? Each parish can do what it wants, and the money will pick the winner.”