Homily For Tuesday the Second Week of Advent Year C, 7th December, 2021. The Memorial of St. Ambrose

 Homily For Tuesday the Second Week of Advent Year C, 7th December, 2021. The Memorial of St. Ambrose

Readings Isaiah 40:1-11; Ps 96; Matt. 18:12-14

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GOD WILL NEVER STOP SEARCHING FOR HIS LOST SHEEP ENGULFED IN SINFUL THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

It is natural and common for any human person to desire to seek and find any valuable thing he/she have lost. Some people even have sleepless nights over their lost items. Some can go to any length hoping to recover any of their valuable commodity that is lost. If we can do this just for perishable things of this passing world, don’t we think that God will do even much more to save every single soul he created in his own image and likeness. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Jesus while addressing his disciples, tells us the parables of the lost sheep which illustrate the unrelenting love of God for each of us, especially sinners. 

In this parable, we see an examples of someone searching for what is precious to him. And when he found it his joy was so great. So, Jesus uses this example to explain to us how God seeks us when we are lost in sin and his joy when our friendship with him is renewed. His searching for us cost him the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ. This can help us to realize how precious we are to him, that he never gives up on anyone except those who chose to be lost. All we need is for us to return to God who is patiently waiting for us. Just like prophet Isaiah in our first reading today said:  Console my people, console them’ says your God. ‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call to her that her time of service is ended, that her sin is atoned for.

Dear friends, are we lost in sin? Have we given up in our struggle with sin? Do you think that our sins are so great that God cannot forgive us? Do we feel lost now? Jesus is searching for us, he is waiting for us at the confessional. When was the last time we visited him at the confessional? Just know that he loves us and we are too precious to be lost in this sinful world.  Therefore, let us like Ambrose whose memorial we celebrate today, embrace the faith and mission our Lord entrusted to us. For St Ambrose did not just refused to be lost in the sinful things of this passing world, he rather joined the Lord to search for his lost sheep to the point that he was made a bishop even when he was still a catechumen.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this passing world due to our sinfulness, Seek out humanity once again from the wilderness of sins, so that through the intercessions of St. Ambrose, we may return back to you, just like the lost sheep and so rejoice and praise you once again with the angels. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.