Homily For Saturday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 21st January, 2023 The Memorial of St. Agnes of Rome

 Readings: Heb.9:2-3.11-14, Ps.46 , Mark 3:20-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

JESUS THE SEAL OF THE NEW COVENANT

 

From the beginning of creation God has always been making covenant with humanity and this covenants are made in different ways and in different occasions. In the old testament, this covenants were often made and sealed with the blood of animals. However, this has to change by the very act of the incarnation of Christ the Lord. Who in accordance with the plan of God to redeem humanity has sacrificed his blood completely for the salvation of all. Thereby doing away with the old covenants sealed with blood of animals.

 

Little wonder, in our first reading today we are reminded of the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. Where as a high Priest, he has offered himself as a worthy sacrifice for our sake and for the forgiveness of our sins. This he did in order to deliver us from death and led us into a new hope and a new life of love and obedient to God.

 

By this redemptive work, Christ has become our high Priest who has taken away the sins of humanity. This he accomplished by pouring out his most precious blood on the cross. His blood which is far more precious than the blood of any animal has replaced the old covenantal seals and has become the new covenantal seal by this singular act of love on the cross. By this act of love,  God calls us to a life of love, obedience, commitment and sacrifice .

 

The response to these acts of love, sacrifice, obedience and commitment to God’s mission is what we see in the life of St. Agnes whose memorial we celebrate today. For as a noble young Roman woman, St. Agnes had many suitors and those who were interested in her, but she rejected them all for she had dedicated and consecrated her purity and virginity to God, and will not allowing any of those men to desecrate her virginity and sanctity. So out of pride and jealousy suitors became very angry at her, and reported her to the authorities as a suspected Christian, since to be a Christian was a crime punishable by death.

 

On account of this, the Roman prefect, named Sempronius condemned her to death and attempted to kill her by various methods. First, the attempts by several men to defile her virginity by force, this of course failed, because they were immediately struck blind before they died. The attempts also to hurt her by other means such as burning on a stake also failed for the flames refused to burn the wood. But eventually she was beheaded by being stabbed in the throat and that’s how Agnes met her end through martyrdom and brought glory to God following the example of our Lord Jesus.

 

Dear friends, in the life of St. Agnes we see one who wished to remain faithful and obedience to God’s command knowing that in Christ Jesus, God has accomplished his redemptive work, for there is no need for any other sacrifices. What is needed is for us to identify ourselves with this covenantal sacrifice especially through our active participation in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist during the Holy Mass.

 

For during the Holy Mass, the very same Sacrifice of our Lord at Calvary is enacted by Christ himself through his priest of which he has entrusted to his Church and his priests, the power and authority to constantly make present to the people this covenantal sacrifice. Therefore, we are called to embrace this sacrificial love of Christ and turn away from our ugly and sinful ways of life in order to embrace this love and mercy with a new heart 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 our eternal high Priest. Grant that through the intercession of St Agnes 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.