Heroic Discipleship

Homily: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Matthew 10:37-42

June 28, 2020

“Not all heroes wear capes”. I read that in the news…. and I agree. This pandemic has drawn this class of heroes out of their hideouts to help save our society from indifference and inhumanity. They are the everyday individuals who have done courageous and good deeds for strangers, with no desire for compensation. 

A few of these heroic feats of kindness have been documented by passers-by, highlighted on social media and picked up by mainstream news. Stories of acts of charity, both big and small, by people from all walks of life truly abound these days. Allow me to share with you three incidents which earned the praise of netizens and became a source of inspiration for many. 

The first is a viral post concerning a banana vendor who was seen selling bananas at the pre-pandemic price of P50 per kilo. She refused to increase the retail price saying “Kailangan ng taong kumain. Kahit dito lang, aambag ako.” She acknowledged how everyone was suffering these days and she did not want to add to their burdens by taking advantage of those who were only trying to meet the basic need for food. It was never a question of whether her customers could afford to pay. It was a conscious decision on her part, to express her solidarity with a world that was already suffering. 

Then there is Kuya Fil— an ordinary guy who volunteered to buy the medicines of his neighbours. “Nagbahay-bahay ako para makakuha ng lista ng mga kailangan nilang bilhin dito sa bayan.” When he saw that his aging neighbours and those who had no means to travel to town were already in distress over how to purchase their medications, he felt compelled to do something for them. He mustered his courage, shunned his own fears, and sought out his neighbours to help fill their desperate need. He didn’t have to be rich, powerful or well connected. He simply offered what he already had— his heart for service and compassion for his neighbours. 

Finally, let me tell you of Police Corporal Nimfa Camis from Kabayan, Benguet who earned praise for her gesture of kindness. She had spotted a woman carrying her baby in the market and had intended to call her attention for having violated quarantine guidelines. As we all know, individuals below 21 years old are prohibited from leaving their houses. But when the woman explained that she had no choice because there was no one else to mind her baby while she went to buy food, the policewoman’s heart was moved with compassion for the mother. She immediately offered to take care of the baby while the mother bought all their supplies. That small act meant the world to that mother who could attend to her urgent errands, confident that her baby was safe.

There are still countless others among us who work silently, below the radar of the press and social media. Those whose efforts we easily overlook or under-appreciate because we’ve been so used to taking their jobs for granted—those tasked with 3D jobs: dirty, dangerous and demeaning jobs. Yesterday, I was very happy to finally come across a Facebook group post expressing gratitude to these essential workers. It said simply… “Thank you… to all Janitors and Custodial Workers, cleaning and sanitizing the facilities that we all use.” I was led to think about our maintenance staff, the garbage collectors, those who operate the crematoriums, and others like them who have been working long hours through this pandemic, assisting us all from the periphery, while most of us remained safe in our homes. They are also frontliners who have made invaluable contributions to keeping our surroundings safe and sanitary. They, too, are unsung heroes in my book.

In the readings this Sunday, Jesus sets His disciples straight. They were not going to elevate their lifestyle, be treated as VIPs or proclaimed heroes for Israel for following the Messiah. In fact, it was easier to be overwhelmed by the demands of discipleship. Most of them were likely turned-off by the extremely difficult demands. For instance, Jesus calls for a complete renunciation of everything that gets in the way of following Him. You might ask yourself, can my “father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters” really be a hindrance to following Jesus? And do I really have to reject even my “own life”? Isn’t Jesus asking too much? Pretty extreme, I know, but Jesus, in his hyperbolic manner of speaking was simply asking for total commitment from His followers. As disciples of Jesus we can no longer put ourselves first. Jesus says further in the Gospel: “Anyone who does not take up his/her cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” He does not mince words to disillusion them with a life of privilege and fame. He tells His disciples it will not be easy. There will be sacrifices, and a cross to bear! But that is His way, and whoever wishes to follow Him, must walk the same path. To further complicate an already unappealing situation, Jesus insinuates that commitment to Him entails being consistent in our faithfulness especially in the trivialities of our everyday activities, being ready to share our gifts and resources with others in the name of Christ. Jesus says: “And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” Now there is the clincher! All one’s efforts, no matter how small do not escape the watchful eyes of our loving God, and He never forgets a good deed done.

In the passage from the Second Book of Kings, the Shunemite woman was rewarded with the gift of a child not so much for her faith in God but for being gracious to the prophet. Such an overly generous payment for a very basic gesture of hospitality, we might say. We have to remember that God cannot be outdone in generosity and a small charitable act as such, if done for the little ones of His flock will be magnanimously rewarded in His time.

In our efforts to be disciples, we must not be discouraged by the seeming insignificance of the task. Each little effort is an opportunity to make a huge difference in other people’s lives. In his book The Road to Daybreak: A Spiritual Journey, Henri Nouwen tells us that: “What little we give away multiplies. This is the way of God. This is also the way we are called to live our lives. The little love we have, the little knowledge we have, the little advice we have, the little possessions we have, are given to us as gifts of God to be given away.” These little acts of kindness become the seedbeds of a holy life. As we endeavour to give of what little we have, we encounter the miracle of discovering how much more there is to give away!

We are called, by virtue of our baptism, to demonstrate our commitment to Jesus, in whatever we do, regardless of how menial or negligible the task may seem to us. If we are moved to action out of compassion for others, lifting up to Jesus the risks we may face, for no gain but to live out our discipleship, then we too, will become heroes, in our own right.