Homily For Thursday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 26th January, 2023 The Memorial of SS Timothy and Titus. (Today is My Birthday, Do Remember me in your Prays)

Readings: 2Tim 1:1-8, Ps. 96, Luke 10:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY MANDATE

 

The rebellious nature of humanity have always distract  us  from responding to God's invitation to server him and to serve one another, for we have always failed to understand God’s ways of doing things. That is why we often find it difficult to actively participate in the mission of Christ. However, God has not stopped caring and stretching his hands of love to us. In every generation God always send messengers to remind us of his love and plan for humanity.

 

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard how the Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two persons and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!

 

Here, Jesus  gave us the nature and requirements for carrying out his missionary mandate successfully. So, to continue this great mission he invites his disciples and sent them out, commanding them to see themselves as someone who gives freely of the good they have received from God. Hence, they should offer to others what they have received from God, knowing that it has cost them nothing. This is also applicable to us. We must live a life of detachment that is, in this mission, we  are to depend totally on God's providence. Unfortunately, many of the disciples have to face rejection and persecutions from people, who through their rebellious attitude have refused to believe in God even though He has always been so patient, loving, caring and forgiving us.

 

Concerning this great mission, St.  Paul, while addressing his second letter to Timothy in our first reading today said: I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy.

 

Little wonder, today we are celebrating the memorial of SS Timothy and Titus, servants who truly understood what the mission of Christ requires of them. For they were both close collaborators of St. Paul who entrusted to them the care of the flock of the faithful, of which they were regarded among the first Bishops of the Church. They were great servants of God with great commitment and dedication to doing the will of the Lord and suffer martyrdom for their faith and contributed greatly to the growth of the early Church and became good examples to their fellow Christians.

 

Dear friends, what is our attitude towards the missionary mandate of Christ? How have we contributed to this mission? What are we sacrificing for the sake of this missionary mandate? As disciples of Christ, we have received a lot from God without payment; we should learn to give without expecting reward. So we must learn to acknowledge with gratitude all that we have received from God and give freely to others that which we have received. For this act of charity will purify us from pride and self-righteousness, because we are all recipients of God's love, mercy, forgiveness, favour, protection, healing and deliverance. So, we must offer to others these same gifts which we have received. And by so doing we will fulfil our missionary mandate following the requirements that Jesus had given us today

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today you gave us the requirements and nature of our missionary mandate. Help us to effectively following these requirements just like SS Timothy and Titus, we ask this through Christ our Lord Amen. God bless you.