Homily: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42
28 June 2026
Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA
You who are parents know what it is like to sacrifice sleep just to care for a sick child. Many mothers and fathers willingly set aside their own preferences because what matters most is the happiness and well-being of their families. A true friend patiently listens to someone going through a difficult time or quietly serves without expecting recognition.
From the outside, these people seem to be giving something away—time, comfort, energy, even themselves. Yet somehow, they end up richer, more fulfilled, and more alive. Isn’t it true that some of the happiest people are not those who have the most, but those who give the most?
That is the paradox at the heart of today’s readings. Jesus says, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39). At first, those words sound contradictory. How can losing our life lead to finding it? Yet the Scriptures today show us that this is exactly how God’s grace works.
In the First Reading, the Shunammite woman notices that Elisha is a holy man of God and decides to welcome him into her home. More than that, she prepares a room for him so that he will always have a place to stay (cf. 2 Kings 4:8-10). She was not looking for recognition or reward. She simply made room for another person. And yet, through that generosity, she received a blessing she never expected. Elisha promised that she would embrace a son within a year. (2 Kings 4:16)
There is a lesson here for all of us. We often think that happiness comes from accumulating more—more possessions, more success, more control. But God’s way is different. We discover life when we make room for others. A heart occupied only with itself eventually becomes cramped and lonely. A heart open to others becomes a place where God can work wonders.
The same pattern appears in the Second Reading. St. Paul reminds us that through baptism we were united with Christ in His death and resurrection. He writes, “We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead… we too might live in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) This burial with Christ is not a passive ending, but an active clearing away of our old, broken selves to make room for something greater. By stepping out of that spiritual grave, we are empowered to walk through the world with a restored purpose, radiating the hope and grace of His eternal life.
In other words, the Christian life always involves letting something die. We cannot experience the new life of Christ while holding tightly to the old self. Pride, selfishness, bitterness, resentment, and sin must gradually give way to grace. Anyone who has tried to forgive a deep hurt knows this struggle. Part of us wants to cling to the wound. But when we finally let go, we often discover a freedom we did not have before. Something dies, but something better is born. We find life when we let go of the old self.
This brings us to the challenging words of Jesus in the Gospel. “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37) Jesus is not telling us to love our families less. Rather, He is asking us to place Him first. Every important love involves sacrifice. Parents know this. Married couples know this. Priests and religious know this. If something truly matters, it demands something from us. That is why Jesus continues, “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:38) To follow Christ means allowing Him to shape our decisions, our priorities, and our way of living. It means trusting that His way leads to life even when it asks something difficult of us.
The three readings point to the same truth. We find life when we make room for others. We find life when we let go of the old self. We find life when we put Christ first. The world tells us that fulfillment comes from protecting ourselves, promoting ourselves, and holding tightly to what we have. Jesus teaches the opposite. Life grows when it is shared. Love deepens when it is given away. Faith becomes real when it costs something.
Our Gospel paradox remains true: “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39). In God’s kingdom, the life we cling to is often the life we lose. But the life we offer to God in love, trust, and service is the life we truly find!
Sunday Gospel Reflections 