Homily for Wednesday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 17th November, 2021. The Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

 Homily for Wednesday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 17th November, 2021. The Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Readings: 2Macc.7:1.20-31; Ps.17; Luke:19:11-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UTILIZING THE GIFTS AND OPPORTUNITIES GOD HAS GIVEN US

In this life God has given special gifts and opportunities for everyone. If we use these gifts and the opportunities wisely for our own benefit and the benefit of others, we will grow and blossom. But on the other hand if we fail to use them, we will remain dormant and unsuccessful. This is what the parable in our Gospel passage today is addressing. In this parable we heard how a king summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds to do business until he comes back. Some of them utilized these gifts and opportunity and so became successful and for that they were entrusted with more gifts. While some decided to neglect and abandoned their gifts and so remained dormant and unsuccessful. 

This parable teaches us that we all have been given gifts by God which we must give account of. Because our gifts are meant to be put to use in the service of God and humanity. And our service to God should not be done grudgingly or fearfully but generously with the willingness to take risks in responding to God's mandate. We must be ready to lose our life in order to find it. God wants us to use the individual gifts and opportunities given to us to make a difference in the world. We are not to relax into a comfort zone doing nothing with them. God wants the best from us and when we have given our best, we receive more from him. 

Dear friends, we all are special, unique and a masterpiece and God has given us a very unique gift. These gifts may represent different physical and spiritual gifts of God, but it's  basic foundation is the love of God towards us.  This love is what God has given to us which needs to be reciprocated through an active love for our neighbours. However, we often fine it difficult to discover our other gifts or to accept the one God has given to us because we have failed to embrace love. So, we are called today to search and discover our gifts. Love is the greatest gift God has given to humanity, let us discover love and invest on it for in it comes other gifts that will help us to achieve the purpose by which we are created. 

This gift of love is what made the woman and her children to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their belief in God’s instructions and ordinances as we have it in our first reading today. And also in the life of Elizabeth of Hungary whose memorial we celebrate today who discovered love in the poor. For she was known for her constant visit to the sick and those who were particularly repulsive; to some she gave food, to others clothing; some she carried on her own shoulders, and performed many other kindly services out of love. We are called to do the same.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you have endowed us with special and unique gifts and opportunities. Help us to discover these gifts and utilize them for the purpose of which they were given to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.