Homily for Friday Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 5th August, 2022, Memorial of The Dedication of The Basilica of St. Mary Major

  Readings: Nahum 2:1.3:1-3.6-7, Ps. Deut. 32:35-41, Matt 16:24-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVE YOU REALLY RENOUNCED YOURSELF AND THE EXCESS DESIRE FOR THE  THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD?

Reflecting on the continuous hostility, persecutions and the influential powers of the things of this world, I think is time for us to really think twice about our faith as Christians, whether we are actually ready to live out our faith in the midst of these ugly situations in our societies, which is getting tougher everyday. For if we are really willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today says:  ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life? Here Jesus knowing what awaits us in this world, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level, especially in a situation where our faith and Christian values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God.

Thus, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience. For here comes the moment when we have to make radical and difficult choice as disciples of Jesus. It’s time for us to take up our Cross in a sacrifice way and follow the Lord. But what is the cross we are called to take up. Taking up our cross could mean to faithfully face our daily challenges with all its difficulties. It is accepting who we are and what we have and using them to the glory of God. 

The way of the cross is a way of sacrifice, a way of commitment, a way of love, forgiveness, mercy and compassion, which aim towards the good of the other person. It can be a costly service to a loved one who is ill; it can be embracing illness, even terminal illness or other personal weaknesses, this makes no sense except when we relate it with the suffering of Christ through faith in God. 

For God through prophet Nahum in our first reading today promise us that he will not abandon his faithful people in the darkness of this passing world. For he shall crush the wicked and all those who have oppressed his people. He has promised that he will stand by us in the midst of persecution and suffering. That for a while we might suffer, but in the end, those who remained faithful in him will be victorious while the oppressors will be rejected, crushed and destroyed. Thus, to share the glory of Christ we have to share his suffering, because it is impossible to follow Jesus without accepting the cross nor acknowledging and embracing all that life has to offer us.

So, today as we celebrate the memorial of the dedication of Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the most important of Churches and basilicas dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God, it was told in the Church history and tradition that a Roman patrician named John and his wife made a vow to donate their personal land and wealth as they had no son and heir to continue their family and inherit their legacy. They made the vow to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and they prayed asking for guidance and help in finding the proper site to build a church dedicated to God and to His blessed Mother.

And in the most wonderful and miraculous way, on the fifth day of August, on one of the hills of Rome, the Esquiline Hill on which the Basilica now stands, during the very height of the hot Roman summer, snow falls on the hill and covered the very spot that Mary had marked for this great shrine and Church. And that was why how this great Basilica was built and dedicated to Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Snows, and since then, the Basilica had stood for many centuries as the symbol of the faith that all of humanity has in the Lord through his Mother Mary, and it has become a strong rallying point for devotees and all the faithful, inspiring many to return to faith in God once again.

Dear friends, have you really renounced yourself and the excess desire for the things of this passing world? For we are called today to deny ourselves the pleasurable things of this passing world in order to take up our Cross and for the Lord. It’s time to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully follow Jesus. But  how much are we willing to let go for the sake of following him? Why are we finding it difficult to follow Jesus? What are those habitual desires and possessions that are holding us from making this radical decision today? It is time to come to God with all our hearts, for tomorrow maybe too late.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards your, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires and as we do this, may the cross of Christ be a shining example in our daily struggles, so as to hold firm in our faith despite all the sufferings and persecutions we may encounter. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.