Homily for Friday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 4th November, 2022 the Memorial of St Charles Borromeo

 Readings: Phil 3:17-4:1 , Ps.121 , Luke 16: 1-8

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO SMARTLY USE THE THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD TO SAFEGUARD YOUR SOUL

The elements of good and bad seem inherent in every human person, little wonder the world involves both good and bad mixed together. This will help us to understand the reason for corruption, greediness, immoral and social decadence in our world today. But even in the midst of all these ugly situation, we are expected to be wise and smart in our deals with the thing of this passing world.

Little wonder, in the Gospel passage today, Jesus tells the parable of this dishonest steward who, having acted unjustly and having being exposed by his master, went to great lengths to make friends of his master’s debtors in order to secure his future. In this parable, Jesus is not telling us to be dishonest, but he wants us to know that we can learn even from this dishonest servant how to prudently use the things of this passing world to gain our salvation. Thus, Jesus points out that we too should be smart but not exactly like the dishonest steward, using dishonest wealth to exploit others as most rich people do today. No, instead we his disciples are to use our wealth to win souls for the kingdom and safeguard our own soul. 

But more importantly, if we understand the principle that says that everything we own is a gift from God, then we will realize that God is the owner of everything and that we are His stewards. As such, we are to use the Master’s resources to further the Master’s work and not the contrary. In this contest, we are told to be generous with our resources and use it for the safety of our souls and the growth of God’s kingdom. For we heard St. Paul in our first reading saying: I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things. For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for.

Dear friends, today, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regards to our vocation as Christians. How can we best harness the things entrusted to us so that they can be source and midst of safeguarding our souls surrounded by corruption and greediness. We are called today to be wise and smart, for if the worldly minded people can be smart in their dealing, we too should be smarter in our struggles for our  and the salvation of humanity. We should utilize the resources available to us and use them to secure our salvation. 

Hence, let us learn from St. Charles Borromeo whose memorial we celebrate today for he said in one of his sermons: I admit that we are all weak, but if we want help, the Lord God has given us the means to find it easily. So, Are you in charge of a parish? If so, do not neglect the parish of your own soul, do not give yourself to others so completely that you have nothing left for yourself. You have to be mindful of your people without becoming forgetful of yourself.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in our struggles with the ugly situation in our societies today, give us through the intercessions of St. Charles Borromeo the grace and skills to manage the resources entrusted to us and use them properly for the salvation of humanity, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It’s Friday, wishing you a fruitful day.