Homily For Saturday of The Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 22nd January, 2022

 Homily For Saturday of The Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 22nd January, 2022

Readings: 2 Samuel 1:1-4,11-12,17,19,23-27; Ps.80; Mark 3:20-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

FOLLOWING THE LORD REQUIRES THE SACRIFICE OF OUR TIME, OUR COMPASSION AND OUR RESOURCES

Oftentimes, people think that being a successful Christian mean living a comfortable life style. They think that once we embrace the Christian faith we are no longer going to encounter challenges and difficulties in life. But this is not true, because Christian faith requires the sacrifice of all our time, energy, compassion and resources. 

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where we heard how the Lord Jesus and his disciples were so much engaged in the redemptive works among the people. The work was so great to the extent that they were so busy in doing their work that they had no time to rest at all and even to eat, even when they were hungry. They were so engrossed in the work to the extent that the relatives of Jesus could not believe it and they thought he was out of his mind. This was because they feel he spent so much time in his ministry, since he did not spend much time with his family people.

This is to remind us that following the Lord is not always an easy and comfortable journey, and more often than not, we may be required to make great sacrifices. However, those sacrifices were not without rewards, for those who had committed themselves to the service of the Lord, shall receive the grace of eternal life and shall never be disappointed in their  endeavour in life. Just like the disciples of the Lord, who out of compassion sacrifice all their time and resources to the service of the Lord and were not disappointed or abandoned in their struggles and challenges because they understood what it means to acquire the heart of their master Jesus.

This is exactly what we see in the life of David in our first reading today, where we heard how David full of compassion and love reacted upon hearing the tragic story of the death of King Saul and his son Jonathan at battle of Mount Gilboa against the Philistines where the Israelites were grossly defeated. Then David made this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan saying: How did the heroes fall? Saul and Jonathan, loved and lovely, neither in life, nor in death, were divided. O Jonathan, in your death I am stricken, I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother. This shows how deep David’s love and compassion for his people were despite how Saul treated him.

Dear friends, we are reminded that following the Lord requires the sacrifice of our time, our compassion and our resources. For in Christ Jesus, God has accomplished his redemptive work. What is needed is for us to identify ourselves with this covenantal sacrifice through our active participation in the missionary activities and mandate that the Lord has entrusted to us as his disciples. Therefore, we are called to embrace this missionary activities with the sacrificial love of Christ and his people by coming out of our comfort zones of ugly and sinful ways of life, in order to embrace the love and  mercy the Lord is offering us and be ever more grateful to God for such an act of kindness and compassion. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for such great act of love which you have shown to us through Christ your Son who is full of love and compassion. Grant that we may be ever more faithful in following and doing your will, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Do have a blessed and favourable weekend.