It is 16th June 2018. The readings are from 1 Kings 19:19-21; and the Gospel from Matthew 5:33-37. God calls us and expects us to respond. Some of us accept the call without any hesitation. A few of us even go to the extent of a complete surrender once and for all and nothing in the world could interfere with the conviction. Most of us respond to the call of God and yet we did not mean it. There are many now respond to the call of God for their personal development and to upgrade their social, educational and financial status of their lives using the vocation that God so generously given us. We have a role model in the name of Elisha in the first reading. When the prophet Elijah approached Elisha on behalf of God to continue as the successor of him, he more willingly accepts the call of God bid farewell to his family, former life and committed to the core till the end. Elisha was a wealthy farmer of the world now turns to be a farmer of God. He accepted to till the hearts of the people and bring their souls back to God. Elisha responded so promptly when Elijah covered him with his mantle on him. He left all including his parents, friends, well-earned property to follow God. Whether we are called to be a student, a teacher, an entrepreneur, a corporate, a religious, a priest, a married couple or a single person, God wants us to respond honestly and mean it for the rest of our lives. There is no wheeling and dealing in the call of God. Pursuing something else and upgrading ourselves for our personal future plans is directly contrary to the wish of God and God’s call. It is now have become a kind of a norm so sadly to see that those who have been called are acquiring wealth of all kinds such as bank accounts, money secretly kept elsewhere, wealth for personal security, politics and corruption to get a position, power and to influence and infringe the society with the divisive mentality. God’s call is heeded with the personal agenda. Most of us said yes to the Lord we surely meant no indeed. The responsorial Psalm aptly acclaims, “You are my inheritance, O Lord.” (Ps.15:5). The Gospel strongly advises us that we must mean what we promise. Let there not be any coercion in our promise we made to God and one another. If we cannot honour commitment, we must not promise. Honesty and uprightness are the key to the response to God’s call. “All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes; “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.” (Mt.5:37). May there be a concrete connection between our response and the call of God. May you have a good day.