Deacon Tom's Homily for June 18th, the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

IN OUR FIRST READING TODAY, GOD asks the Israelites He’s summoned to Himself: “Do you want to be my people? Are you willing to do my will and listen to my voice alone?

THE DISCIPLES JESUS SUMMONS TO Himself in today’s gospel had to answer these same questions every day of their lives.

WHERE WOULD WE BE IF, ALL OF A sudden, Matthew wanted to go back to being a full-time tax collector? And imagine if the four fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James, and his brother John, were thinking about returning to their fishing nets?

CAN’T YOU JUST HEAR THOMAS yelling: “You’re going to leave the spreading of the Good News to the rest of us! How can we possibly cleanse all the lepers and tell the lost that God is near without your help?

TO WHICH PETER MIGHT REPLY: “We’ll come back every Sunday and join you for the breaking of the bread.” “Not good enough” shouts Philip, “You think being a disciple is a part-time job!

WE KNOW DISCIPLESHIP IS MUCH more than putting on an “I Love God” T-shirt for an hour every Sunday, then pulling it off as soon as Mass is over!

DISCIPLESHIP IS A 24/7 commitment!

We’re not full-time accountants and part-time followers of Jesus.

NO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE’RE His full-time disciples who happen to be homemakers, business people, nurses, laborers. We’re His disciples who don’t gossip about our co-workers, His disciples who reach out to those around us who’re hurting and we’re filled with joy!

IT’S OUR ACTIONS THAT PREACH the Good News 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

MOTHER TERESA REMINDS US: “TO those who say they admire my courage, I have to tell them that I would not have any if I were not convinced that each time I touch the body of a leper, a body that reeks with a foul stench, I touch Christ’s body, the same Christ I receive in the Eucharist.”

ONLY BY KEEPING OUR EYES ON Jesus, watching what He does, can we become His more and more authentic followers.

GOD HAS LOVED EACH ONE OF US from all eternity. Now He summons us in our day to serve at this particular time.

SO, ARE WE WILLING TO BE Jesus’ disciples even though it’s a twenty-four-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week commitment? Will we keep our eyes fixed on Him, follow where He leads, listen to His voice alone?

AND ARE WE READY TO ANSWER “YES” to these questions, every morning of our life as we begin each new day?