Following Jesus: Whatever
"So
Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing
with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair.
Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left
his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother
goodbye," he said, "and then I will come with you." "Go Back," Elijah
replied. "what have I done to you." So Elisha left him and went back.
He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing
equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate.
Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant."
When
we follow Jesus we are called to follow whatever we have to give up.
When Elisha was called by Elijah to become his apprentice prophet he was
called to give up his entire way of life. Elisha was a very wealthy
individual. He was a farmer who owned 12 yoke of oxen. That
represented great wealth at that time. When Elisha received the call
from Elijah he was willing to give up whatever he had to in order to
respond to Elijah's call. How did Elisha show his willingness? He
slaughtered all twenty-four oxen and cooked them over the fire he made
out of the wood of his plow and then gave the cooked meat to his friends
and family. Elisha had a neighborhood bar-b-que! In doing so ELisha
was showing that he was willing to leave everything behind adn give up
whatever he had in order to respond to God's call that came through
Elijah. This week we will be contemplating the question: "Can we give
up "whatever" in order to follow Jesus?"
Reflection
