The Homily For Saturday in Fourth Week of Lent Year C, 2nd April, 2022

 The Homily For Saturday in Fourth Week of Lent Year C, 2nd April, 2022

Readings: Jer. 11:18-20, Ps. 7, John:7:40-53

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

DEALING WITH THE REALITY OF HUMAN FOLLY

Reflecting on the ugly situation in our families, societies and the world at large, one may ask why so much wickedness and hatred around us and we all seem to be keeping quiet about it. Now we all have to face the realty before us, both small and great, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, young and old, good and bad, holy and sinful. It’s time for us to seek the truth, it’s time to return to our root, it’s time to turn away from evil and pay attention to the signs of the moment just like prophet Jeremiah who delivered message of warnings from the Lord, for the coming destruction for both Judah and Jerusalem. 

For this he faced lots of difficulties and persecutions from those who hated and disliked him, especially those who out of pride were irritated by the constant words of doom that the prophet delivered to them as we have it in our first reading today. But as the people of the kingdom of Judah continued to live in sin and refused to change their ways and they were doom into captivity. 

In the same way in the Gospel passage, we heard the same plotting and rejection of the person and message of Jesus by the Pharisees and the members of the Sanhedrin. They refused to believe in the message of Jesus and to accept the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, just because they perceived that what Jesus had done were contrary to their way of life  and the way they enforced their piety and faith. Hence, out of pride they wished to persecute and condemn him to death.. 

Dear friends, we are called to pay attention to the message and signs that God is offering to humanity about the reality of his coming. Telling us that the world as we see it looking so beautiful is passing away and no one knows how and when it will happen. Therefore, we must not let pride leads us to stubbornness and faithlessness so as not to end up acting like the Pharisees, who in their stubbornness refused to listen to Jesus. For this will likely lead us down the path of sin, and those sins will lead us into damnation unless we repent from them. 

Thus, during this Holy Season of Lent, as we pass through the turbulent moment in our daily life, we are encouraged to be more humble and willing to open ourselves to accept God’s message of truth, to open our ears, our eyes and deepen our senses to feel and know what God wants us to do with our lives. Let us realize the shortness of our mortal lives, and realize how unworthy and corrupt we have been because of our sins. Let us come back to God our shield, for he alone can deliver and save us from all our troubles and predicaments. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have often failed to remain faithful to your words, as we listen to you today, may the difficulties of our daily struggles, deepen our faith and make us more humble and submissive to your will, so as to experience once again your love and comforting grace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a safe and peaceful weekend.