HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 11TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II
THEME: DOUBLE PORTION
BY: Fr. Karabari Paul
HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY JUNE 15 2022
‘Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.’
We all have different asking capacity when it comes to prayer. We have some wonderful lessons from today’s Reading (2Kings 2:1,6-14). Bible says: ‘When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours – otherwise, it will not”’ (vv. 9-10).
There are two interpretations of this ‘double spirit’. Some people think that it means that Elisha wanted twice as much of God’s spirit as Elijah had. And they argue that Elisha went on to perform twice as many miracles as his mentor Elijah.
Other people argue that it was talking about the right of the firstborn. In Deuteronomy 21, it explains that the firstborn son received a double inheritance. Elisha could have been asking Elijah to recognise him as more than just a mentee, but a son. Either way, Elisha was asking for something spiritual rather than worldly.
Like Solomon asking for wisdom, Elisha was asking for something that would be used to help others rather than to advance himself. Indirectly he was saying he wanted to work even more than Elijah. What do we tend to ask God for? Do we ask for more of His Spirit to be poured out to us? Do we long for Him more than anything else? We can often find ourselves bringing our requests to Him one after another. Listing off everything we want to have, or feel like we deserve to have. But let us be people who dare to ask for more of Him, more of His Spirit – a double portion. He longs to bless us and reveal more of Himself to us. And in Christ, we are heirs to the Kingdom. We have more than double portion of inheritance in Him. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God have mercy on us, heal our world, bless and protect us all through Christ Our Lord Amen. Good morning
Fr. Karabari Paul