Sunday 28 June 2026 – XIII Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
Mass Readings: 2 Kgs 4:8-11.14-16 Ps 89 Rom 6:3-4.8-11 Mt 10:37-42
Key Verse to Meditate: whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Mt 10:38).
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
The first reading of today narrates the beautiful encounter between the prophet Elisha and the hospitable Shunammite woman, who recognized him as a holy man of God and generously welcomed him into her home. Her faith, generosity, and openness to God brought abundant blessings upon her family.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the cost of discipleship and reminds us that true discipleship involves taking up one’s cross and following Him (Mt 10:38–39). In the same spirit, St. Paul, in the second reading from the Letter to the Romans, reflects on the theme of dying and rising with Christ. He teaches that the Christian life involves dying to sin and rising to a new life in Christ. To be baptized into Christ means to put aside the old sinful self and embrace the new life of holiness and grace given by the Risen Lord.
Therefore, dying with Christ also means living with Him. As St. Paul says: “But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him” (Rom 6:8). The readings of today invite us not to be afraid of sacrifice, suffering, or persecution for the sake of Christ, but to remain faithful, trusting that those who follow Him will also share in His life and glory.
The First Reading
In today’s reading, we encounter the beautiful hospitality and faith of the Shunammite woman. She recognized Elisha not merely as an ordinary traveller, but as a “holy man of God” (2 Kgs 4:9). Out of love, respect, and generosity, she and her husband prepared a small upper room for the prophet so that he could rest whenever he passed by their house. They offered him simple but sincere hospitality without expecting anything in return.
This passage teaches us an important spiritual lesson: when we welcome God’s servants, we welcome God Himself. The Shunammite woman’s kindness became a blessing for her entire family. In gratitude for her generosity, Elisha promised her the gift of a son, even though she had long lost hope because of her old age and childlessness. God blessed her not because she sought rewards, but because she had a generous and faithful heart. The reading reminds us that God notices even the smallest acts of kindness done with love. A meal shared, a helping hand, a word of encouragement, or hospitality shown to others can become channels of God’s grace. Sometimes we may feel that our small acts of goodness are unnoticed, but before God nothing is ever lost.
Spiritually, the “upper room” prepared for Elisha can also symbolize the space we create for God in our own hearts and homes. Do we make room for God through prayer, charity, and openness to His presence? When Christ finds a place in our hearts, He brings blessings, peace, and new life. The Shunammite woman also teaches us the importance of spiritual sensitivity. She recognized holiness in Elisha. In today’s world, filled with distractions and material concerns, we too are called to recognize God’s presence in His word, in the sacraments, and in the people, He sends into our lives.
The Second Reading
In today’s second reading, St. Paul speaks beautifully about the mystery of dying and rising with Christ through baptism. He reminds us that all baptized Christians are united with Christ not only in His life, but also in His death and Resurrection. St. Paul says: “We have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4).
Baptism is therefore not merely a ceremony or an external ritual. It is a new birth and a new life in Christ. Through baptism, the old sinful self dies, and a new person is born in Christ. To die with Christ means to die to sin, selfishness, hatred, pride, and everything that separates us from God. At the same time, it also means rising with Christ to live a life of grace, holiness, love, and obedience to God.
St. Paul further says that if we have died with Christ, then we shall also live with Him (Rom 6:8). This is the great Christian hope. Christ’s Resurrection assures us that sin and death do not have the final word. Jesus conquered death once and for all, and through Him we are called to live a new life directed toward God. Finally, St. Paul says: “The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God” (Rom 6:10). This verse becomes a challenge for each one of us. Are we truly living for God after receiving baptism? Does our daily life reflect the new life of Christ within us?
Do Not Let Sin Reign in Your Mortal Bodies
Living in sin means being spiritually dead to the life of Christ. But St. Paul invites us to live fully in Jesus by dying to sin and not allowing sin to reign in our mortal bodies: “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts” (Rom 6:11–12). Through baptism, we have received a new life in Christ, and therefore we are called to resist everything that leads us away from God. Sin may tempt us, but it should never become the master of our lives. Instead, we are called to live in holiness, allowing God’s grace, truth, and love to guide our thoughts, words, and actions each day.
The Gospel Reading -Mt 10:37-42
The Gospel of this Sunday presents to us the concluding part of Jesus’ instructions to His twelve disciples as they were about to be sent on a missionary journey. The central theme of today’s Gospel is found especially in verses 38–39: “Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” These verses challenge us with the mystery of “finding” and “losing” one’s life. Jesus speaks here about saving or losing one’s earthly life in relation to eternal life with God.
This teaching appears repeatedly in different forms throughout the New Testament (cf. Mt 16:25; Mk 8:35; Lk 9:24; 17:33; Jn 12:25). In its immediate context, Jesus refers to the possibility of persecution and martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel. Yet the principle also applies to everyday Christian life. Many people seek comfort, pleasure, security, and worldly success rather than the demanding path of discipleship. However, Jesus teaches that true life is found only when one is willing to surrender everything for His sake.
Take Up Your Cross
Jesus says: “Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Mt 10:38). The image of the cross symbolizes sacrifice, suffering, and total commitment to God. Although Jesus had not yet openly spoken about His Passion, the people of His time understood what carrying a cross meant under Roman rule: it meant being ready to suffer and even die.
To take up the cross, therefore, means being willing to endure difficulties, rejection, sacrifices, and persecutions for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. The enemies of Christ opposed His teachings during His lifetime, and throughout history the followers of Christ too have experienced opposition because of their faith and moral convictions.
To “Find” and “Lose” Life
Jesus further says: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Mt 10:39). At first glance, these words seem contradictory, yet they reveal the heart of Christian discipleship. Those who cling only to worldly security, selfish desires, and earthly pleasures may gain temporary satisfaction but risk losing eternal life with God. On the other hand, those who sacrifice themselves for Christ, living in fidelity to Him, ultimately discover true and lasting life.
This saying invites us to self-transcendence and spiritual discipline. It means placing loyalty to Christ above personal comfort, convenience, and even fear. The Christian who remains faithful to God, even in suffering, preserves the soul for eternal communion with Him.
To Be Worthy of Christ
Jesus also says: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” (Mt 10:37). Here, Jesus is not rejecting family love, which is a sacred Christian duty. Rather, He teaches that even the closest human relationships must never take the place of God. Love for Christ must come first because He is the source of all love and life. Sometimes following Christ demands difficult choices and sacrifices. True discipleship requires courage to place God above all else. Faith cannot remain partial or convenient; it calls for total commitment.
Welcoming Christ Through Others
The Gospel concludes with a beautiful message about hospitality and openness: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me” (Mt 10:40). To welcome Christ’s disciples is to welcome Christ Himself. A life centered on Christ naturally becomes a blessing to others through kindness, compassion, generosity, and service. The disciple of Jesus belongs to a larger spiritual family—the family of God. Therefore, every act of charity done in Christ’s name carries eternal value.
Points for Spiritual Reflection
The first reding of today inspire us to become people of hospitality, generosity, and faith. And may we always make room for God in our hearts, trusting that He can bring hope and blessings even into the impossible situations of our lives. The second reading invites us to reflect that The Christian life is a daily dying to sin and a daily rising with Christ. Every act of forgiveness, charity, humility, prayer, and sacrifice becomes a sign that Christ is alive in us. May we never forget the dignity of our baptism and strive each day to walk in the newness of life that Jesus has given us.
The readings of today invite us to ask ourselves:
• Do I make room for God in my heart and home?
• Do I welcome Christ through the people He sends into my life?
• Am I living the grace of my baptism by dying to sin?
• Am I willing to carry the cross and follow Christ faithfully?
• Does my life reflect love, generosity, and service toward others?
• Do I place Jesus above all other attachments in my life?
The Christian life is not merely about comfort and security; it is about surrender, trust, and faithful discipleship. The more we lose ourselves for Christ through love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and service, the more we truly discover the fullness of life. May we have the courage to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, carrying our crosses with faith and trusting that whoever loses life for Christ’s sake will ultimately find eternal life in Him.
