17 June 2026 - homily for Wednesday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time - 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14

St Albert Chmielowski was born in 1845 in a small village near Krakow, Poland in a wealthy family. Both his parents died by the time he was ten years old. He was then raised by his aunt.  During the 1865 revolt in Poland against Czar Alexander III of Russia, Albert was wounded, leading to the amputation of his leg. He had a great talent for painting, which led to art studies in Warsaw, Munich, and Paris. He returned to Krakow and became a Secular Franciscan. In 1888, he founded the Brothers of the Third Order of Saint Francis, Servants to the Poor. Albert and his fellow Franciscans worked with the homeless. They lived completely on alms that people would donate to them. A community of sisters was established later. He died in 1916 from stomach cancer.  Pope John Paul II beatified Albert in 1983, canonizing him six years later. He is the patron saint of painters and members of the secular Franciscan. 

We have been hearing about Elijah in our first readings this week. Today, we hear about the moment before Elijah is taken up to heaven by the Lord, so the mantle of prophet needs to be passed to another. Elisha has been chosen to be the next great prophet of Ancient Israel. Elijah offers to do whatever Elisha wants before he is taken up by the Lord. Elisha’s response is remarkable: to receive a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elisha desires to serve the Lord as a prophet just as Elijah did, with integrity and respect. He wants to be legitimately recognized as such and to have Elijah’s spirit follow him. God blesses Elisha in this way, as he is able to part the Jordan River just as Moses and Elijah were able to do.  

The tenacious faith of Elijah and Elisha calls out to us today. They strongly heard their call to serve God as his special prophets, even as they recognized the frustration, danger, and challenges that accompany such a call. We also heard the story of St Albert Chmielowski, who was called to live as a secular Franciscan and to serve the poor. No matter what our specific vocational calling me be, we are called to be Christ’s disciples, to fervor and tenacity as we live out our faith and live out our vocation. May we open our hearts to the ways we can serve the Lord with humility and selflessness.