Never Unrewarded
Homily on the 13th Sunday in OT, 2 July 2023, SJB Parish Church, Liloan
Two days ago I went up to Mantalongon, Dalaguete to concelebrate at the Funeral Mass of a sixty year old man named Tatay Imok who had been weakened by a lingering illness for the past few years. Last Sunday they rushed him to the hospital after he complained of difficulty of breathing. Sad to say when he tested positive for Covid he was rejected from being admitted. And after having been rejected by four other hospitals, the family decided to just take him home. They quickly prepared an oxygen tank for him and everything he would need for his recovery. But unfortunately Tatay Imok did not make it. He passed away before reaching home. How we wished he could have been saved from that untimely death.
What struck me most however was what I saw as soon as I entered the church. It was the unexpectedly big turnout of people at Tatay Imok’s funeral. Though he was just a simple and ordinary farmer who lived and worked far away from the Barangay proper, I could clearly surmise how much impact he has made on his fellow farmers and parishioners within his short life of sixty years. One of his sons in fact is a Salesian of Don Bosco who will soon be ordained a deacon this coming July 29. Years ago he gave his son Tonton his blessing when he entered the seminary in Don Bosco Lawaan. And from then on he and his wife would often send to our seminary several sacks of vegetables for free.
I still remember that day when Br Tonton was still a prenovice. I went up to Mantalongon to pay a visit to their family. At the end of my visit Tatay Imok himself carried the sack filled with vegetables downhill and loaded it in our vehicle as their offering to the community. I was deeply moved. Now I am certain that the kindness and generosity of Tatay Imok will not go unrewarded by God. Although his sudden death is still difficult to accept, our faith tells us that he has finally received his eternal reward in heaven.
Today’s first reading from the second book of Kings narrates to us a touching story of another farmer whose name is Elisha. Despite the ordinariness of his occupation as a farmer his story found its way in the Bible as he ended up becoming the next great prophet to succeed Elijah. Here is how it happened. While he was busily at work in the field holding the plow drawn by several cows, the great prophet Elijah came to him and threw his cloak over him. When Elisha felt the cloak on his shoulders he immediately perceived the call of God. It was as if God was telling him “You are mine. AKIN KA.” And so, realizing that God was calling him, Elisha promptly responded to his call and became the next prophet after Elijah.
Now the passage we have heard today highlights for us how God rewards the kindness shown to his chosen servants, the prophets. In that place there was a married woman very simple and ordinary like all the rest. Every time Elisha would come and exercise his ministry there she and her husband would offer food and a room accommodation to him. Therefore Elisha invoked a heavenly blessing upon them out of gratitude for their kindness and generosity. Since they were childless, he promised that they would soon be blessed with a baby boy. And so it happened. When Elisha returned the following year she was already fondling a baby, her first born son.
What is this story telling us? I believe it is this: although the woman and her husband might have been unnamed, nevertheless their good deeds of kindness and generosity were never forgotten. In fact surprisingly, they were blessed in a very special way by God who sees everything and rewards every good deed. Moreover their story, no matter how seemingly insignificant it might be, has eventually become part of biblical history, immortalized by the sacred writers so that everyone might be inspired by their example and do likewise.
This is precisely the good news being proclaimed by Jesus for us today. He said in the gospel that whoever receives any of his disciples actually receives him. And whoever offers to any of them even just a cup of cold water will never go unrewarded but blessed by his heavenly Father.
Dear brothers and sisters, isn’t this so consoling especially for you who quietly give to your Church or contribute whatever you can for the completion of this parish church? Isn’t this very encouraging for you who help and support the Salesians in their pastoral work particularly for poor and neglected youth? According to Jesus, God who sees your good deeds will certainly bless you beyond measure.
God’s Word today is not only consoling but at the same time also very challenging. Our acts of kindness should not be directed only to his priests and other church ministers. It should be extended also to all of Christ’s disciples. This means that even the little acts of kindness you do to each other as baptized Catholics, whether inside or outside this church, at home, at work, in school or elsewhere will never go unrewarded by the Lord, even if you do not have your names announced or posted on social media.
Furthermore, the biggest challenge and consolation actually lies in giving ourselves generously to God. The prophet Elisha was already secure in life. Like other farmers he had his own field, cattle and the loving support of his own family. And yet when he received the call of the Lord for greater service he left everything both family and field and gave himself entirely to the Lord as a prophet to his people. And because of his selfless generosity to God who called him, he never went hungry, thirsty or naked; neither homeless nor helpless all his life as a prophet. God has always been there to provide for his needs through the good-hearted people he met along the way.
To the kids and youth who are here, to the adults and the elderly as well, if God is calling you to greater service in the Church, hear this. Do not be afraid to respond with your generous YES, even if it would mean leaving behind your family and loved ones. God who is the source of all good will provide for all your needs and he will make sure that your generosity will never go unrewarded both in this life and in the life to come.
Let me conclude with a final story about another young farmer named Giovanni. When he was around fifteen years old Giovanni met an elderly priest, by the name of Fr Calosso, who became his mentor and spiritual director. One day when the priest was dying Giovanni rushed to his side hoping he could still do something to help him recover. But it was in vain. After several hours the priest eventually died. But before the priest actually died he entrusted to his spiritual son Giovanni the key to his safe bequeathing to him all of his savings so that he could pursue his dream of becoming a priest one day. However here is the twist. After Fr Calosso’s death when his nephew and other relatives came for the burial, Giovanni surprisingly turned over to them the key to the priest’s safe. Despite being blessed with the key to the old priest’s treasures, Giovanni chose the way of kindness and detachment by handing over to the priest’s family what he desperately needed for his future mission. God, however, did not let Giovanni’s kind gesture go unrewarded. Later on God sent him good-hearted people who helped him become a priest in answer to his call. By God’s divine providence this young farmer was able to enter the seminary, and in 1841 he was eventually ordained a priest in Turin, Italy. Though financially challenged he took into his care hundreds and thousands of young people who were poor and abandoned. I guess many of you know him. His name is St John Bosco, the father and teacher of youth.
May our Eucharist today inspire and empower us to do the same and follow the path towards the fullness of life which the Gospel is showing to us. GiGsss!
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