Homily For Thursday the Second Week of Advent Year C, 9th December, 2021.

 Homily For Thursday the Second Week of Advent Year C, 9th December, 2021.

Readings Isaiah 41:13-20;; Ps ,145; Matt. 11:11-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

A CALL TO PUTTING OUR EARS INTO POSITIVE USE

The ears as we know is one of the very important organs of the human person. This organ consist of the pinna which aid the human ability to hear. It is a gift from God through which we have the faculty of being able to perceive sounds and recognize something in an auditory way. To exercise the faculty of this organ effectively we must learn to use it to listen attentively to information. The world no doubt is full of noise, echoing different things in our minds through our ears.

But how are we use these organs? How has this organ helped us in our spiritual life in this noisy world? How have we managed the noise in our lives,  in our families and society which distract us from listening to God? What are the things we hear or listen to? The Word of God we hear everyday how has it develop our relationship with God and our neighbour? 

Hence Jesus ends our Gospel passage today saying: If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!’ Here, Jesus is referring to our ability to listen to God's Word and act on it even in the midst of this noisy world. Jesus was making this comment while referring to the mission of St. John the Baptist as his herald to proclaim his coming into this world and to prepare the path for him. He revealed to all of us the truth about God’s love for us. So, referring to the  role of John the Baptist in the mission of the Lord, Jesus said tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.

Thus, we can made know that the persons who seek to gain some spiritual insight into what Jesus is saying will have that insight increased when they listen, whereas whoever does not listen to Jesus will end up in spiritual ignorance. To avoid this, we are reminded  through prophet Isaiah that the faithful people of God would not be forsaken or abandoned, for God still loved us despite all the terrible and sinful things we do, if only we can listen to him.

Dear friends, by listening, hearing and following Jesus, we grow in familiarity with his voice and hears him more. And by so doing we make Jesus the light of our lives placed on the lampstand to give light and insight to our souls as individuals, family and society, illuminating all the darkness around us. Therefore, we are called to put our ears into positive us and be submissive just like John the Baptist and so cultivate the habit of listen to God and to one another. 

 LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, our ears are gift from you, help us to use them properly. And as we carry out our activities today, may our ears hear the consoling words of Jesus guiding and directing us towards the light of his presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Remain blessed.