13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Luke 9: 51 – 62

The opening verse sets the tone for this Sunday’s gospel reading “…he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” Some of his advice to would-be followers sounds rather harsh, but Jesus had become very clear about his mission – and that involved going to Jerusalem to face misunderstanding, strong judgement, betrayal by friends, suffering and death. If followers really wanted to be with him then they needed to understand some of the conditions and consequences.

When I worked as a missionary in Latin America, I was present in a rural place where the agrarian reform of the previous century never really arrived. The land was owned by a small minority of foreigners while the indigenous people were left to work in terrible servitude. The local law enforcement agencies received significant income from the land-owners so cries of the poor tended to fall upon deaf ears.

There came a time when some of the local people took up arms as “guerrillas” in order to try and wrestle back some control of their land and income. This was met by strong support from the substantial indigenous population – while there was resistance from the land owners and their supporters. The result was a bloody standoff between the two groups.

I was a visiting priest who was quietly asked to tend to the sacramental needs of some of the more remote villages in the mountains. I was very aware that the guerrillas prevented the local police from entering these areas however I was given every courtesy and assistance by the local people. Whilst I was very touched by their warmth and faith – I was at the same time very anxious for my well-being as only the local people knew I was there with them. I was accompanied on my discreet journey by Juan, the local catechist.

I spoke Spanish quite well but not the local language. These villages were so remote that the reverse was true for the people – only local language was spoken. I used Spanish for the Eucharistic prayer and consecration while Juan took most of the other parts of the mass – even translating my poor homily for the people.

Juan was a man with ten children. Six of his older children were married while the other four and his wife moved around the villages with him as he preached the word of God. He was a man highly respected by the people. He was also a specific target of the local police and was running a great risk of being killed. When he was alerted to possible threats he and his family were assisted to move on to another village. But like Jesus, he had his face set on his mission of attending to this suffering people with the healing word of God – despite the obvious dangers and possible consequences.

I could not help but be scared – however the worst that could have happened to me was to be deported if I was found to be “fraternizing with the enemy”. Juan was rising so much more than me – and showed only love for his people and for the God who holds them all as daughters and sons.

It is a long time since I was in those mountainous villages. Whenever I read this passage I cannot help but think of Juan and pray for him and courageous missionaries like him. I experienced a great deal of fear in those mountains and there I met Jesus in a very unexpected way in the person of Juan.

Thinking of Juan helps me to be a little better at setting my face once more on the mission of God in this needy world.