The First Reading (1 Kings 19:16,19-21) relates to the call of Elisha. By throwing his cloak over him Elijah was symbolising the transfer of power. We see how total was the response of Elisha. In slaughtering the oxen and burning the plough, he was precluding a return to his old way of life. Jesus demanded a similar response from those who would follow him.
In the Gospel we begin a new section of Luke’s Gospel (Luke 9:51-62): Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. Luke portrays Jesus as one who knows his destiny and accepts it from God. But he is not interested in telling us the actual route Jesus followed. Instead, he tells us about incidents that happened along the way.
In the first passage we see the hostility Jesus encountered from the inhabitants of a Samaritan village, and his refusal to retaliate as James and John suggested. This is followed by the stories of three would-be followers of Jesus. Jesus tells them that total commitment is demanded of a disciple. The choices are not between good and evil, but between the good and the best.
In today’s Gospel we see how Jesus headed resolutely for Jerusalem even though he knew that death awaited him there. In this we see how faithful Jesus was to the mission the Father had given him. Fidelity can be very costly.