Homily for Wednesday Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 14th July, 2021

 Homily for Wednesday Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 14th July, 2021

Readings: Exo. 3:1-6.9-12; Ps.105; Matt:11:20-24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HUMILITY IN PRAYER IS A SURE WAY TO REACH GOD

Gazing on the crucifix this morning, all I could see is the childlike humility of Jesus towards his loving Father. For he sacrificed himself on the cross for the sake of humanity. Thereby teaching us that our relationship with God in prayer requires the humility of an infant to his loving father.

This type of humility is not a way of glory, but a road of surrender that leads to passion and death of ones self. It is  a way of sacrifice, a service to others at the expense of the self. In prayer Jesus experienced God as his Father and approached him with a childlike humility, faith and confidence. Hence, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus after his reproaches towards unrepentant cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, demonstrates to us a humble way of relating with God in prayer when he said,, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere infants. Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will'.  

Here Jesus is referring to those who claim to be wise and intelligent, self-sufficient and self-made, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, Scribe and Lawyers who rejected his message. Also those who think that they don’t need God, for they can save themselves by their meritorious works. Thus, Jesus points out that there is a link between prayer and the inner disposition of being a humble child of God in communion with a heavenly Father, through confidence and total abandonment to God. For no matter who we are and what we have achieved in life, humility is the key and sure way to reach God in prayer. 

Nonetheless, even those who are highly gifted and blessed, can become a "baby" who humbly depend upon God’s grace. While the uneducated and less privileged persons can be in the same undesirable company of the wise and intelligent if they are not humble in spirit in their relationship with God and their neighbours, because our natural and spiritual gifts are only useful in our Christian journey when we have a humble heart.

This is what God is teaching us in our first reading today, in the story of Moses and the burning bush. For God called him from the middle of the bush saying: ‘Moses, Moses!’ ‘Come no nearer,’ he said. ‘Take off your shoes, for the place on which you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your fathers,’ ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ At this Moses in humility covered his face, afraid to look at God, therefore, we can see that  humility is very essential in our relationship with God especially in prayer.

Dear friends, today God wants us to relate with him in total humility and obedience, just like the humility of an infant to his lovely father. For He is always with us in our daily troubles and struggles, He understands us more than we can ever imagine. Therefore, why not  humbly come to Him in prayers for He is always willing to help us in solving those difficult and challenging situations in our lives. Remember, our natural and spiritual gifts are only useful in our Christian journey when we have a humble heart.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for being with us in our daily struggles, troubles, joys and hopes, may you provide for the poor, console the troubled, heal the sick and put simile on the faces of your children who humbly come to your in prayers. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.