Homily For Friday the First Week of Advent Year C, 3rd December, 2021. The Memorial of St. Frances Xavier

 Homily For Friday the First Week of Advent Year C, 3rd December, 2021. The Memorial of St. Frances Xavier

Readings Isaiah 29: 17-24, Ps 26., Matt. 9:27-31

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO PUT YOUR FAITH INTO POSITIVE ACTION THAT YIELDS POSITIVE RESULTS

There is no doubt that people are passing through a lot of difficulties as a result of the active presence of evil in the world which manifest itself in form of trails, temptations, sickness and challenges both physically and spiritually. So everyday we struggle against these troubles and tribulations, and people are doing everything they can to overcome them. But often time, it seems as if we are not making progress because we don’t have enough faith to subdue our challenges and out of fear we fall victim and helpless. The fact is that, we have faith but we have not been able to actively and radically put our faith into positive action that yields positive results like the two blind men in our Gospel passage today. 

These two blind men followed Jesus shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David.’ And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up to him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do.’ Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned. 

Here, these blind men had faith in Jesus' power of healing. So they followed him persistently. They have one need, one prayer point, that is, to see, they said: Have mercy on us! Yes Lord we believe! With these expressions, the two blind men received their sight, just like prophet Isaiah foretold in our first reading saying: in a short time, a very short time, the deaf, will hear the words of a book and, after shadow and darkness, the eyes of the blind will see.

Dear friends, in matters of faith, we are all blind in some ways. We need sight and insight in order to receive the healing touch of God’s merciful love today. For he reaches out to all those who are afflicted and distressed. In this way he restores us to our dignity as sons and daughters of God the Father. What is needed is faith, to believe that he has the power to give us life, to enable us to feel his presence among us. In faith, the blind men followed him persistently, reminding us of the need to be persistent in prayer. For it is not enough to have faith, we must radically put our faith into action no matter the circumstances we find ourselves. Because it is through active faith that we can  reach out to God in prayers and so obtain what we desired. 

Therefore, whatever you want God to do for me today, you must ask him with persistent faith, looking with expectation and hope to see your prayers come true, just like St Francis Xavier, whose memorial we celebrate today. Xavier was known to have conducted his life's work with great vitality and zeal. His missionary work came from the support and prayers he was receiving from those that sent him and from the beauty from which he viewed his service. He was serving God and helping others. And he was helping others by helping them to find God.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today you said to the blind men, your faith deserves it, let it be done to you. As we thank you for the gift of our faith, grant us through the intercessions of St Francis Xavier, the grace and courage to persistently put our faith into positive action that yields positive results. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.  Do have a fruitful day.